The little girl was standing with her mother when the elevator doors opened. She looked at Mason with his crutches and her eyes grew round with wonder. "But, wha?" "I mean what?" "Wha...."
I am not sure if her mother was tightening her grip and that is why she couldn't form the sentence entirely. Seconds passed as Mason and I made our way with our luggage off of the elevator as she stammered and tried to form what she desperately wanted to ask:
"But what is wrong with him? Why does he use THOSE??" she finally got her questions out as she pointed to Mason's crutches (if you have been around here a minute, you know I named those power sticks the minute he started using them at 3) and her mother fairly jerked her onto the elevator.
The doors were beginning to close as Mason was explaining how they help him walk. We chuckled at her wonder as we made our way out of the hotel. I told Mason I wish parents wouldn't try and stop children from asking questions and asked him how he felt. Not surprisingly, his answer was amazing:
"I think that suppressing innocent questions is what begets ableism. If we welcomed questions, rather than making them taboo, disability wouldn't be as frightening."
"I think that suppressing innocent questions is what begets ableism. If we welcomed questions, rather than making them taboo, disability wouldn't be as frightening." -- Mason Shrader
It is Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month. I can't help but want to scream that we are willing to answer every single question you have. We are thrilled when your littles want to know all the things about the power sticks AND the power wheelchair. Let them ask!!
And the hotel we were leaving -- just one of the stops as Mason and his power sticks prepare to accept one of the FOUR offers he has received for his PhD program. He applied to four. He has been accepted to all four.
And that dear ones, is what Cerebral Palsy looks like!
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