WHAT IS A HANDICAP ANYWAY?

I have always been fascinated by the "Blind Boys of Alabama." As a little kid, I saw ads for their records...and I was really "taken over" by how beautiful their voices were. It was not until a couple of years ago that I saw a documentary (can't remember...probably PBS) on their history.


OPEN YOUR EYES...ENJOY!



Their struggles must have been something awful to overcome. I wish I could find the documentary, but I can't. I remember distinctly one of the original "Blind Boys" telling the story of growing up at the "Alabama Negro Institute for the Blind" in the 1930's (try overcoming that one...Negro, and blind in Alabama in the 1930's). He and his blind buddies had been "discovered," yet the Headmaster at the school forbade them from traveling to perform. His great fear was that they would become a "sideshow."

I guess the boys convinced him otherwise...and a true slice of American pie was cut.

One of my four sons has a mild handicap that is recognized by the psychological community. The other three are only handicapped with ignorance (just kidding guys). I remember the story not too long ago of the autistic high school basketball player that hit something like 14 of 14 three-pointers. I remember about 8 years ago the boy with no legs that played "nose-guard" on his high school football team (for one game, and looked like a pro). I watched a video yesterday of a deaf pianist (didn't post it, because listening to it, you could tell that he was deaf...but he was trying). Surely, there are severe handicaps that can not be overcome...but if you are able to read this, your handicap can't beat you.

If you are "down" today with one struggle or another...Take heart! Others have walked this one before you, and survived...even flourished.

We all come into this world with weaknesses. Some of us come with little-bitty ones, and others with gargantuan ones. I have big-time respect for "the others" among us that manage to inspire us "regular folks" to slay our personal giants...

The truth is that many of us without obvious handicaps do very little with "what we have in us," while we "sit in awe" of those that just disregard the "obvious" handicaps and do very much.

So, what is a "handicap" anyway? Show me someone without one...