Quotes

Just read an interesting piece in the papers this morning..it was an interview with Marc Woods, four-time Paralympic gold medallist, who had one of his leg amputated below the knee due to bone cancer.. the interview asked "Has being disabled stopped you from doing what you want to do?" here's his answer..

-- Well, I think it is easy to have misconceptions about what it means to have a disability. My favourite question I get asked - and I only get asked this at primary schools - is "what is it like to be disabled?" Now that's a great question only a five, six, seven year old would ask, because adults are too embarassed. What I would say to these children is: Before I answer that question, let me ask you two questions. First, who is the most disabled person in this room? They'll say "You, you've got only one leg." Okay, that's fine, I can accept that. Then I'll ask "Who's the fastest swimmer in this room?" And they'll say "You are, because you have a gold medal." Then I'll say "Now who's disabled at swimming, me or you?"

The point I'm trying to make is that disability is relative to the task. We're all good at some things and not so good at others. So I think that the Paralympic Games, for example, is an opportunity to educate people to look at disability in a different way, to say don't judge people on the thing that they cannot do, but on the thousands of things that they can.--

Now ain't that something.. Good vibes to start my day...