Introduction

I believe that we have reached a point where we need to fight against ignorance like we never have before.  Think of how far we could go together, about what would happen if we chose love instead.   This blog will be about acting from love instead of hate, understanding instead of ignorance, and hope instead of fear. No matter how far we come, the important thing when it comes to wanting to be a part of changing the world is a willingness to try. It’s easy to get deterred, and I have faced this myself many times recently when I was given the advice to start this blog. I know that no matter how my mood and attitude might shift, I have to remember that I can’t let the doubt take me over completely.

We ARE ALL DIFFERENT. I don’t care if you have a disability or not, we all have hurdles and we all have those things that make us stand out from the rest. This is not about my cerebral palsy, and if you want to know more about that, you can research it or read some of what I have written in Inside Carrie’s World. On another note, though this blog in a way picks up from where I left off with that one, the difference is it won’t be just about my life with a disability, it will be a forum for those who feel they have not been seen for what was beyond their outside, and judged and labeled in a way that has resulted in the suppression of their true nature. Sure, they have still lived their lives and pursued their goals, but they might feel held back and a little apprehensive about what might occur if they put their whole selves out there. I want to write about why we are not wholly defined by our differences and circumstances, whether they be physical, mental, emotional or otherwise. YOU HAVE PURPOSE, AND WHEN YOU’RE SCARED TO LIVE THAT PURPOSE, THE WORLD MISSES OUT. You might say it and have it fail to resonate, you might SCREAM IT and still no one would have heard you, but your voice still needs to be released and those words still need to be said. I hope that telling these stories can restore our confidence, and start the ball rolling on eradicating ignorance. I hope that I can educate others and open their minds to the wonderful shimmering in so many us just underneath the surface, waiting for that one moment where we can break through and make a change with that voice locked away that finally has the chance to emerge.

If you are labeled as the ‘disadvantaged,’ this is not others showing you love, because to pity is not to love. If you let me tell your story, we can show them who we really are, that underneath these temporary and oftentimes deceiving exteriors, we are, in truth, the advantaged ones. We can give readers the choice to choose to look at us with love instead.

Have any ideas? Please e-mail me your thoughts and stories: carriegilbert85@gmail.com. I’ll be back next week to tell my story.