Music Monday break: July is Disability Awareness Month

Music Monday break: July is Disability Awareness Month

By: Debbie

I hope everyone has enjoyed their holiday weekend; we certainly have. Living close to a park, we have a unique view of the fireworks from our driveway: They were pretty short this year (probably because of inflation, but that’s another story.)

The fireworks are an annual reminder of America’s independence from Great Britain; not only did they flee from religious prosecution in search of their independence and freedom, but they disagreed with other laws decreed by the British king. Unfortunately, this meant leaving their homes and sailing across the ocean to start fresh. Nevertheless, our founding fathers knew what they believed in and were willing to make the sacrifice. My dad tells me that my ancestor, the first Waltz to come to America, came to be free of religious persecution in Europe.

As much as I believe the Fourth of July should be celebrated, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that July is also Disability Awareness month. Although the month isn’t nationally recognized, I believe it’s essential to look back at how far we’ve come as a society from a minority perspective to that of a “melting pot,”- Meaning that ramps are provided as part of the American with Disabilities Act. Still, they are used by the non-disabled population as well. However, I hadn’t thought of it this way before talking to another disabled friend, Lauren. The ramps benefit all of us.

Sadly, I still believe we have a long way to go in recognizing other disabilities, not just physical ones. Invisible illnesses and conditions also render many people effectively disabled. Crippled by daily pain, doubt, and fear, these people need encouragement to cope with daily life. We all need to be on the lookout to encourage others – those with physical liabilities, as well as those that are unseen.