Having a Sense of Humor about Things

People sometimes ask me if I ever get bothered about being in a wheelchair and my answer is not really. Its who I am and I'm okay with that. Yeah there are days that are frustrating and there are times that I get upset about being stared at or annoyed with people asking me stupid questions like have I ever gotten a speeding ticket or if I have a license to drive my chair. (By the way, don't ask someone in a wheelchair that, its not funny and its annoying.) The key to not letting it get to me is that I have a sense of humor about it. I am not above making fun or myself or my situation. If I didn't do this I think I would go crazy! Its okay to laugh about things that happen to you. For example, in college I got my head stuck under a desk because I was trying to get something off the floor and my chair rolled under the desk and I couldn't get out. I had to call 911 and have them send someone to help me. Yeah it was extremely embarrassing, but it taught me that I can handle a situation like that and not get freaked out. Now I joke about it, in fact my whole family jokes about it.

Sometimes people look at me funny when I make joke about being in a chair. Its like I'm treading on sacred ground or something and they find it offensive that I would make fun of myself. Lighten up people! If you had to be stuck in a wheelchair for the majority of the day you'd make fun too! I don't go over board w/ my jokes and I would never make these jokes around other people in chairs who would be upset but sometimes it just comes out. A great example is at work when something happens and my co-workers teasingly blame me. My reaction is usually: "Oh sure blame the girl in the wheelchair because she doesn't have enough problems" to which we all laugh. I've also gone as far and writing a note from God excusing me from having to do any standing, walking, jumping, etc for the rest of my life. These things are funny!

I guess what I'm trying to say is that life is too precious and short to take yourself too seriously. If you can't have a sense of humor about things than life is going to get pretty rough. Yes it sucks being in a wheelchair, its not something I would choose but it is what God decided and so I am okay with it. I will continue to have a sense of humor about things and myself and I hope that you will too.