The perils of chasing “normal”

A valuable lesson learned from my disability

“You know, she’s taller than I thought she’d be.”

I’m about 10 years old, lying on the floor of my classroom with my fellow students all standing around and staring down at me. Moments before, I’d been perched on the footrests of my power wheelchair, leaning against a counter as I pinned up something on the wall. I’d taken a tumble and was now lying on t…