Written by Cathy Chester, February 2013
“I choose not to place “DIS”, in my ability.”~Robert M. Hensel
Last week my Wordless Wednesday photo showed a picture of a 1970’s Smith Corona electric typewriter. Sometimes I miss using that powder blue piece of equipment. I used to get a “tactile high” typing on each thick key in quick succession, listening to the clickety clack noises and the clanging bell sounding off at the end of every line. I know it sounds strange, but I loved using the old girl. Yet as much as I loved my typewriter, I love the convenience my laptop affords me even more. There’s the sleekness of the design, the innovative technology it provides and the sexy empowerment I feel when I’ve mastered a new skill.
The most important reason why I love my laptop is it opens the world to me without the need to leave the comfort of my home. When you have a disability, that’s a very important reason. I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in the dark ages before computers. My first memory of owning a computer is when my son was seven years old, and we spent a few afternoons at Zany Brainy testing the latest and greatest computer programs for children. His favorite was Putt Putt Saves The Zoo. Whenever I was tired I’d sit next to him in front of our new Dell desktop, watching him carefully maneuver that tiny purple car that was desperately trying to save the zoo. It was the perfect babysitter.
As he got older I worried whether I’d ever be able to return to work. I couldn’t imagine how I could hold down a full-time job, or any job at all. How could I work when my biggest MS complaint was my constant enemy of fatigue? (I’d describe this fatigue by asking you to imagine your worst flu symptoms, then multiplying that memory by 1000%. Your body completely shuts down, leaving you unable to walk, talk or think clearly. Your only options are to rest or nap). Today, having a laptop at my disposal allows me the luxury of working from home. It provides endless work-related opportunities that a few years ago I never would have had. With my MacBook at my side, I can be creative through my writing and get paid for my work. I can work on my blog at my leisure and never worry that the boss may be watching. I can take breaks when I need to, nap when I have to and work odd hours of the day and night. It gives me the chance to be a part of the world again, not merely watching it from the sidelines.
It’s extremely satisfying to be able to financially contribute to my family while also being a part of the working world. Being useful helps me feel less disabled; using my abilities enables me to regain some of the self-esteem and confidence I had lost. (Have you ever been to a dinner party when someone asks your husband what he does for a living, then ignores you and moves on because they know you’re disabled and you don’t work? Have you ever been out with friends and they talk about their respective jobs, yet no one asks you what you’ve been doing? As a stay-at-home mom I’ve experienced this. As a disabled woman I’ve endured this as well.) This past year I met an extraordinary group of women who share my love of writing and my commitment to enjoying my life after the age of 50. We met on the Internet and have become fast friends. They’ve unknowingly lifted me up, helping me feel more “able” to continue writing what I’m passionate about while rekindling my faith in the kindness of strangers.
Read More at http://anempoweredspirit.com/how-my-laptop-may-help-me-break-the-glass-ceiling-despite-my-disability, Written by Cathy Chester, Copyright © AnEmpoweredSpirit.com