My niece got married this weekend. Stupidity and ignorance was what gave me the opinion that just because she was in a wheel chair, unable to walk, unable to use her hands and had to write with her mouth, she would never get married or accomplish much. Here I was standing in a church waiting for my niece to stroll down in her wheel chair because she was getting married to a wonderful, handsome God fearing man.
Tears swelled up in my eyes for the pride I had for this girl's accomplishments as well as for my horrible thinking. You see, my niece is extremely intelligent. What she lacked in physical ability, she gained in her knowledge. She graduated valedictorian of her high school with a full scholarship for college. She graduated college top of her class with a full scholarship to law school and now she was getting married.
Sitting there listening to her best friend sing who by the way was an amputee with no arms and dwarfed; I realized how great God is and how many people with all of their physical abilities waste their talents and complain. Her best friend was not only blessed with intelligence but with a beautiful voice. Their accomplishments and positive behavior made you forget about their physical disabilities. They make you look at who they really are as a person and make you forget their limited physical abilities.
It was definitely not the place or time to tell either one of these young ladies how much of an impact they've had in my life in just those few hours I spent with them. I wanted to tell them how proud, happy and honored to have them both in my life. I wanted to tell them I admired their positive outlook, honesty, intelligence and perseverance. I'm sure people there must have looked at them with pity but the look I had for them was of admiration.
Before I departed, I made a brief attempt to show them what I felt but I fear, due to everyone probably saying similar things, my sincerity did not show. They taught me that I too can face and conquer any challenges that cross my path.
