They say that to understand a person you need to walk a mile in their shoes. For the past week, I have had just a taste of how those with physical limitations live their lives. I have cracked a bone spur in my foot and am walking around in a "boot", facing the distinct possibility of foot surgery. (And no, River, my equine coach, had no part in my foot issue!) While I am pretty mobile in this "boot", I have to give considerations into walking distance and weather (can't get the darn thing wet), not to mention the general navigating around with it.
What has been a real eye opener is how people act in large stores when you have physical limitations. In several trips to a local store, I have been almost run over as people rush around me or past me. There is no consideration that they might hit by bum foot or knock me over. I am a physical barrier to get past -- and mind you, I can walk pretty fast in this contraption!
This makes me think about others that have greater physical limitations than I -- and mine is just temporary. They are surely facing many of the same issues in public places, and on a larger scale. If you are able bodied, you don't give a second thought about maneuvering in a parking lot or in a store around people and things. To someone that has physical limitations, one has to be strategic with every outing taking into account so many things others take for granted: Can I walk on my crutches from here to there? Do I have enough room to translate from my car to my wheelchair? Can my walker fit in that tight space? Can I lift that jug of detergent while trying to stand with a cane?
On top of that, there are some whose physical limitations may not be apparent to the general bystander. My Dad, for example, had kidney failure. Due to that, he was limited in how far he could walk and had a handicapped sticker for his car. Physical limitations don't necessarily mean that someone is walking with crutches or a cane.
I am not lamenting my condition, nor am I viewing those with physical limitations with pity. I am, however, looking at how to be more considerate of others who brave and conquer the able-bodied world everyday. Take a second to imagine all of those things you take for granted as an able-bodied person. Now, look at others with new eyes. Don't treat someone as an impediment to get around. Enjoy the journey and those travelling with you -- even those of us who may be travelling in the slower lane.
