CELEBRATING MY
CEREBRAL PALSY
By Cindy Curtis

Please do not look down,
I have nothing to be ashamed.

You see a woman in a wheelchair.
You do not see my inner-beauty.

The Lord has blessed me with the gift of Cerebral Palsy.
Through it, He has taught me to be strong.

My life is a challenge.
We all have challenges.

Through these challenges,
He is molding me into a victorious warrior.

He has proven over and over again,
His love for me overflows.

No matter what the situation,
His hand has a gentle, but firm grasp on me.

When you see me,
you may ask yourself, “Why is she always smiling?”

Why?
The Lord has given me a precious, precious gift.

I am celebrating my Cerebral Palsy.


On Tue, 27 Feb 2001 00:47:37 EST Bobby Greer <[log in to unmask]> writes:
> Mag,=20
>
>     You asked for it. I have posted a while back but many of the new
> members=
> =20
> may not have seen it.
>
>
>
>
>                         My Life
>                     Version C
>                     Bobby Greer
>                        8/18/96
>
>         =E2=80=9CNight life ain=E2=80=99t no good life.
>          But it=E2=80=99s my life=E2=80=9D       =20
>                     Willie Nelson
>
>         Born in north central Texas
>         With cerebral palsy to share cropping parents
>         One brother, older, smarter and richer
>         But not happier.
>        =20
>         Moved to San Antonio, learned to walk at three
>         Fell alot, sewn up alot, got used to ether, I liked it!
>         WWII was in full bloom, town full of soldiers
>         Lived in public housing for awhile
>
>         Had one dog, Lady, a Collie.
>         Got her in the third grade, put her to sleep
>         When I was a Junior in college
>         Loved that dog!
>
>         Went to a special school in 6th grade,
>         Ridiculed in regular grades before that,
>         Was pitying myself till I saw my 1st quad with bulbar
> polio=20
>         Went easier on the self-pitying
>
>         Learned more from going to  special ed.=20
>         Than from special ed. teachers,
>         Learned to ride city busses
>         Learned about the =E2=80=9Cshady side=E2=80=9D of downtown
>
>         Learned alot from my Mexican friend, Salvador
>         Salvador lived a bare bones, impoverished existence,
>         In a dug out with a dirt floor for a home
>         His Mom made the best bean rolls I=E2=80=99ve ever eaten
>
>
>
>
>         He taught me to cuss in Spanish,=20
>         I taught him to cuss in English
>         We knew every inch of the river walk,
>         Went by the Alamo every day.
>
>         Finished high school, went to college
>         Finished college with a major in psychology
>         The major for sick people trying to find themselves
>         Under the guise of learning to help others
>
>         Counselled older disabled adults,
>         Some said I would inspire these adults
>         I was a smartass greenhorn with some book klnowledge
>         The adults were not inspired
>
>         Began drinking regularly after work
>         I was changing for the worse.
>         Working with others I had to faced myself
>         Ran off to get a doctorate, couldn=E2=80=99t take what I
> saw
>
>         Got a doctorate, a wife who still loves me after 33 years
>         Had three jobs, in New Jersey, D.C and Memphis
>         Been teaching in Memphis for 30 years, now.
>         Adopted and help raise two fine children
>
>         Have taught over 5,000 students
>         Have taught courses in special ed. voc. rehab., and A&D
> counseling
>         Now work with batterers in anger management.
>         Amazing what a short interest span will do
>
>         Developed hypetension probably the result of drinking
>         Had a quadruple bypass in =E2=80=9883
>         And an endoarterectomy on the left carotid in =E2=80=9888
>         Still do not eat right or excercise
>
>         My true loves are Joyce(my wife), my children  and now
> grandson
>         My dog Max, blues music, rock and roll music,
>         Playing poker, Doc Holliday, Hiaason=E2=80=99s novels=20
>         Spending money, Mexican food, ice cream and fried chicken
>         Old WW II war planes, Old West History and John
> Callahan=E2=80=99s c=
> artoons.
>
>         Most memorable experiences, road trips with my Dad
>         My first date with Joyce,  holding my grandson for the 1st
> time=20
>         Quadruple by-pass,  walking in Jerusalem
>         Seeing the Sea of Galillee, seven days in London,
>        =20
>         In two years I=E2=80=99ve lost my dad, a dear niece and
> countless fr=
> iends in=20
> AA
>         I have learned to hate cancer and its
> =E2=80=9Ctreatments=E2=80=9D.
>         I have learned the formula time equals love.
>         If you love someone, you spend time with them.
>
>         I don=E2=80=99t give others enough of my time,
>         I am at once intolerant and lovable,
>         Brilliant and stupid, graceful and blundering
>         Most people I know accept me for who I am, except myself.
>
>         The two most priceless things are love and the present
>         Death comes to soon and unexpectedly
>         Life is joyous and is also brutal
>         Enjoy the good times and brave the brutal ones
>
>         If you have something good to say to somone, sayit
>         There are no guarantees you will ever see them again
>         Say it now, say it with heart, say it sincerely
>         Most of all, say it
>
>         I have witnessed brutality and miracles
>         I have been inspired and disgusted
>         Most of all I value playing life like  cards in a poker
> hand
>         Play what=E2=80=99s dealt and don=E2=80=99t whine.
>