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Family Pets - Friendship, Companionship, & More

Hello everyone,

 Do you find meaning in having animals as pets for service, companionship, or a trusted friend, to aid in your personal or professional life? Do you find pets can provide additional assistance to people with disabilities, or other challenges (temporary or permanent)?  

 

Being completely blind myself, you might think I would have a service animal to help guide me safely in my constant darkness. However, at this point in my life I do not use or need the assistance of a guide dog. Instead, I use my two white canes (one long white cane and one support cane) for orientation and mobility. I think guide animals for the blind and visually impaired, hearing animals to signal the hearing impaired or other service animals for other disabilities are very valuable and essential.

 

Now, having just said I do not use a guide dog, does not mean I have never had any animals in my life - past or present. I have always valued and enjoyed pets, and have been blessed and fortunate to have them in my life.

 

When I was growing up in our family we mostly had dogs as pets. Following my marriage to a wonderful person, Kathy, we now have cats as pets. After a very critical medical condition that almost took my life, and caused me to go completely blind we continued to have cats as a part of our family. I have found our pets companionship is of greater value now that I have no vision. Our pets do not care if I cannot see them with my physical eyes. They can sense me looking at them in my mind’s eye, as we share affection for each other. My pets also help to relieve stress when some days have additional challenges, or difficulties.  Caring for my pets, along with my loving wife’s enormous amount of help, always puts life’s challenges into perspective and helps me re-focus on the joys and pleasures in life. In this case, that pleasure is my close companionship and affection for my cats.

 

Our first cat was named Buttons. Buttons was a striped grey, white, and tan tabby.    She was a stray that showed up one day needing and wanting a home. After we asked around our neighborhood and found no owners, we accepted her into our family, and she became our new family member.

Quite a few years later we acquired another new family member from my sister-in-law. She was a long haired calico kitten we named Samantha. She was a very sick kitten that we nursed back to good health, which prevented her from dying, just prior to her first birthday celebration in August of 1995. In October of 1995, not long after her first birthday, Samantha was hit and killed by a car right outside our home on our street corner. We were devastated by her loss. We loved her so much and we felt so lost and empty without her. Buttons missed her too. Both of us were grateful for still having Buttons to love. She really helped ease our pain and sorrow with her love and affection for us.

 

In January of 1996, like a miracle from heaven, a new stray kitten showed up in our yard, it seemed, like out of nowhere. It was as if God and Samantha sent this adorable, sweet, loving, friendly kitten to us like an angel from heaven. I say this in part because this new kitten looked almost exactly like Samantha. This cat was also a long haired calico kitten just like Samantha.   Even their breed was the same. Again, after checking out our neighborhood for lost stray kittens, we happily and immediately, without hesitation, added this kitten to our family. My wife named her Tammy.  

 

A few years after we accepted Tammy into our family I suddenly became very ill. My wife brought me to the hospital where I lapsed into a coma the following day. I did not awaken from my coma until 3 long months later. Our loving and caring cats, Tammy and Buttons kept my wife company each lonely day and night, while I lay in a hospital bed for 7 months. Our cats could not help my wife by verbally communicating to her; however they did offer her plenty of companionship in my absence during those long days and nights, as she waited with uneasiness and fear to see if I would live or die. I am very grateful for our cats helping her through, what I can only imagine as being incredibly fearful and trying times, as she traveled back and forth to the hospital each day and took care of all other things around our home in my absence.

 

Our cat Buttons accepted Tammy into her life and taught her how to behave as a cat, like she was her mother.  Besides Buttons and Tammy being great companions to me and my wife, they were excellent companions for each other.

 

When I did eventually get to come home I was happy to find my cats waiting for me. Since I was gone for 7 months, it took a little while for our cats to recognize me and come over to me in my newly acquired wheel chair.

 

Not long after getting home from the hospital, sadly, Buttons became ill and died. I was grateful to be home at the time and had the ability to crawl on the floor (I still could not walk at this time) over to her as she lay on the floor. I put my head down to her and listened to her purr slightly, and listened to her shallow breathing. With my head next to hers and my hand slightly petting her head and body, I told Buttons I loved her and said goodbye. She died quietly and peacefully on the way to our veterinarian’s office. Again we were filled with sadness and a great sense of loss.

Luckily we still had Tammy to help us through our grief. She also missed Buttons. We both knew this to be true because my wife said she would go around the house and the yard looking for her.

 

After a few years my wife Kathy and I decided Tammy needed a cat companion. My sister-in-law had a stray baby kitten that needed a home. We named her Morgan for the town she was born in. Morgan became part of our family in September 2001. She was about 12 weeks old when we got her. She is a calico striped tabby, medium hair cat. She was so small when Kathy brought her home; she fit in the palm of our hands. We carried her around in our robe pockets. She loved it! She is now a 15 pound princess!

After Tammy accepted Morgan, Tammy began to teach Morgan how to be a cat, since Morgan, like Tammy had no mother cat to teach her. I’ll have to admit Morgan did not learn as well as Tammy learned how to behave! She has a mind of her own and is very stubborn at times. But we love her a lot anyway!

 

One thing I found interesting is, I think, Tammy and Buttons knew I was blind and had no eyesight. The only reason I think they could have known this is because when we first got them I had eyesight.  Tammy and Buttons were there when I came home from the hospital with no vision. I feel they sensed I had lost my vision. I do not use my canes to walk in our home. Tammy and Buttons would move out-of-the-way when I would walk towards them. Morgan does not move. When I walk in our home I do not raise my feet very high, as not to step on a cat accidentally. Morgan will actually come towards me when I come home or walk into a room. I feel this is her way of greeting me and to get me to pay attention to her. She rolls on the floor and lays down right in my path.   

 

With regret and sorrow we are saddened to say Tammy recently died. She had been sick for about 2 years with a medical condition, although her condition seemed to be under control. One day without warning, she could not walk easily and could not completely raise her head. My wife Kathy brought her to the veterinarian to see what might be wrong. The doctor said she had a stroke, and because of her age would not live. She died naturally at the doctor’s office while Kathy was holding her.  I did sense she was dying and was grateful to be able to hug her and say goodbye before she passed away.

 

Now, without Tammy, we have to go on without her. But thank goodness we still have Morgan, and also Knuckles, Rusty, Simba and Shadow (all cats that have adopted themselves into our family). We love them all.

 

With all the pleasures pets bring us, we also have the pain when they die and can no longer be with us. I feel pets have great value to all, including the disabled. Besides companionship and service, they can be of great value to help reduce stress and allow us to think clearer, allowing our full potential to shine and flourish in our personal and professional life.

 

One last comment in closing- Buttons, Samantha and Tammy are gone but not forgotten. They are all still with us at home. We have their ashes in their cedar boxes with their names and ours too. We love you Buttons, Samantha and Tammy forever!

 

I look forward to hearing your comments on how pets have made a difference in your life and why they are of value to you.

 

Bill Tipton

Contributing Author,

Global Dialogue Center

http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wdtipton

Facebook: http://profile.to/wdtipton

Twitter: http://twitter.com/wdtipton

January 30, 2011 in Disabilities, Inclusion, Inspiration, People with Disabilities, Personal Development, Self-Help | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

Thankfulness – Value of Challenges

One of life's gifts is that each of us, no matter what challenges or disability we have, can find reasons for joy and thankfulness.

With a number of countries celebrating Thanksgiving this month, this gives us additional encouragement to live, demonstrate and believe in thankfulness, as I describe in: Demonstrate Gratitude and Embrace Thankfulness.

In this season of thankfulness we can learn a valuable lesson from the Struggling Butterfly Story.

As we go through and experience life, keep in mind that experiencing challenges is an important part of any growth. In fact, it is the struggle that causes us to develop our ability to fly.  

When the butterfly was denied the ability to experience ordinary obstacles and challenges, the butterfly’s life was impeded from reaching its full potential. In most cases going through challenges, experiencing life changing events, or enduring other difficulties will help us grow personally and professionally, and we should be thankful.

Every day should be Thanksgiving in our hearts and actions.

• Be thankful for some obstacles and challenges in our lives’.

• Learn the value of re-prioritizing your schedule, to allow you to have time to spend with love ones, family, friends and new acquaintances.

• Share time and enjoy the companionship of others during this season of thankfulness.

How will you show gratitude and thankfulness?

Do you have any tips, or stories to encourage and motivate us to be thankful and show blessing for what we do have?

We all look forward to sharing thankfulness together and hearing from you.

Bill Tipton

Contributing Author,

Global Dialogue Center

http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wdtipton

Facebook: http://profile.to/wdtipton

Twitter: http://twitter.com/wdtipton

November 19, 2010 in Disabilities, Inspiration, People with Disabilities, Personal Development | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

Blind Actor Shines- Demonstrates Genuine Abilities

We might feel that some disabilities or challenges might limit what we should attempt in our personal or professional life.

I had the privilege to meet Brandon Biggs, whose blindness did not stop him from pursuing his acting passion and skills.

Get to know Brandon in this interview with ABC news: Blind Actor Shines in Local Theater Company, by Teresa Garcia.

After reading Brandon‘s interview and reflecting on my own blindness and abilities, I now have more confidence to walk without canes, instead of 2 white canes, in certain situations, relying on sounds and knowledge of my surroundings for orientation, like Brandon does while on stage acting.

Did Brandon’s interview encourage you in any way? Do you think you might attempt a new task, project, new job, or career, in spite of your perceived physical challenges, some might believe can be an obstacle for success? This interview demonstrates that perceived abilities are not the same as genuine abilities. The value of putting our differences to work can deliver superior results.

We all look forward to hearing from you.

Bill Tipton

Contributing Author,

Global Dialogue Center

http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wdtipton

Facebook: http://profile.to/wdtipton

Twitter: http://twitter.com/wdtipton

 

July 18, 2010 in Disabilities, Inclusion, Inspiration, People with Disabilities | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Honoring a Global Memorial Day

How will you honor the fallen, the wounded, and the ones who have become disabled and their families this Memorial Day? Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Remembrance Day is celebrated in the United Kingdom (UK) on Nov 11 with Canada. Armistice Day is celebrated in France; other countries may have similar days for remembrance.

I listened to "Who's Helping Our Wounded Vets?" On PBS.

I personally have not been in a war, combat or other life threatening disputes. I can relate somewhat with the wife’s remarks in the first story about some telling her she should consider divorcing her husband, or even suggest terminating life support.

After I had unexpectedly and suddenly gone into a coma, with no signs of recovery, others suggested these same things to my wife. I can also relate how important caregivers are to recovery. How Scott’s wife was with her husband every day in the hospital caring and supporting him spiritually, emotionally and physically. When I first awoke from my coma 3 months later I would only react to my wife; not even the many doctors who tried to get me to respond.

We all need caring, compassion, family and friends when healing our hearts, souls and bodies. Let’s support each other!

How can we honor the fallen and their families ensuring that they are not and never will be, forgotten. Does anyone want to share a story? I personally am very grateful to the men and women who have the passion to risk their lives to attempt to make our lives better.


We all look forward to sharing a global Memorial Day together.

Bill Tipton

Contributing Author,

Global Dialogue Center

http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wdtipton

Facebook: http://profile.to/wdtipton

Twitter: http://twitter.com/wdtipton

May 27, 2010 in Disabilities, Inspiration, People with Disabilities | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

Letting Go, To Accept the New You

Letting go of the way one is comfortable experiencing and interacting with life can be difficult. People who become disabled in life or have other dramatic life altering changes could have additional challenges with letting go of their old life to move forward. Some of these changes might be losing a loved one, having a serious medical condition or illness, losing a job, losing one’s place of residence, or many other life altering experiences. Changing attitudes and thoughts of what one used to be able to do, and the realization of the new way one needs to accomplish tasks can be overwhelming and fearful for some.

I do not know why some individuals can more easily move ahead without the distractions of how life once was.

I can only share my thoughts and feelings about how life once was for me, and what it is like to move ahead. I hope others will share their thoughts and feelings, so we can all better understand what attitudes will help us move forward, and not dwell on the past..

After a serious illness caused my complete vision loss, I was given the opportunity to learn how to do everything differently than the way I was accustomed to doing with vision.

I had fears and concerns at first, wondering about how I would accomplish life’s tasks as a newly blind person. I did not stay in that frame of mind long. I immediately began to surround myself fully in educational opportunities and positive people. This enabled me to learn the most efficient and effective way to be as successful as possible in my new life. I work very hard and put in long hours. I think this is one way of not focusing or dwelling on the past I once knew. When I am being productive at my place of employment or enjoying daily routines, I do not even realize or notice I do not have any eyesight. Only when I am relaxed and not active late at night I sometimes think to myself, "I cannot see a thing, and never will again".

For that moment I still have thoughts of how drastically my life has changed. I think about what never seeing another person ever again really means. In my mind’s eye all faces of everyone I know are frozen in time for ever and will never age. I then put my hands closely in front of my eyes, move them away, and do not see any difference in the darkness, to really emphasize what a changes I have experienced

I am grateful my positive energy and ability to adapt and transform myself far outweigh the thoughts of how my life once was. Even though now all I see is darkness, my inner sight is much clearer and filled with more light than my physical eyes were ever able to see when I had eyesight.

I believe with this mind-set we have the ability to better put our heart and soul into what we want to accomplish.

Do not give up on your dreams. Let go of the past and allow your inner strengths to grow, blossom and propel you forward. Have faith and trust in yourself and, others... Do not be frustrated if your transformation does not happen on your timetable. Other possibilities might be in your path to your success and happiness which may require more time to develop into your reality.

Learn from your life altering events, and leverage skills you had the opportunity to learn to help you in your professional and personal life. The skill-set of quickly overcoming challenges, handling changing priorities, focusing on what is most important, developing innovative techniques to adapt and solve problems and move forward is highly valued.

Do you have examples of how you have let go of the past to move forward in life? Any examples of how skills you acquired helped you in your professional and personal life? Do you have any examples of difficulties letting go of the past that you want to share with us? Any other thoughts and suggestions you would like to share with us?

We all look forward to hearing from you.

Bill Tipton

Contributing Author,

Global Dialogue Center

http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wdtipton

Facebook: http://profile.to/wdtipton

Twitter: http://twitter.com/wdtipton

February 28, 2010 in Disabilities, Inspiration, Leadership, People with Disabilities, Personal Development, Self-Help | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Embracing New Year Like a Newborn

Are you ready to achieve your aspirations, goals and engage 2010 with a fresh start and can- do attitude? Beginning a new year gives us the chance for a fresh start. If your goals include anything you have not attempted prior, these experiences and feelings of uncertainty can be compared to what a newborn baby or young child experiences as they learn essential skills to succeed in life. If only we could re-live, or remember, we could leverage experiences and skills needed to accomplish other things in life we have never attempted, or do not have the skills to accomplish.

Success does not come without a lot of hard work, discipline, dedication to excellence, continuous self exploration and self-improvement. When we are performing tasks we have never previously attempted, we may doubt our skills, and ability to handle stressful and difficult situations.

I am very familiar with attempting and succeeding at new opportunities and challenges by now; after recovering from a 3 month long coma, 7 month hospitalization, losing all of my eyesight, and literally needing to lern how to do everything over again. I compare that experience to re-living what I learned as a new born baby, or young child. I sometimes think to myself, I was given a gift to re-live what it was like when I was a baby and did not know how to do anything without help.

Here is a very short list of how I re-learned and experienced childhood as an adult: Learned how to sit up by myself, get out of bed by myself, eat solid foods, feed myself, talk, stand up on my two feet, walk without eyesight, find things around my house, without eyesight, and leave the house by myself, eager to experience the freedom and joy, as I walk in my complete darkness.

As an adult I was able to re-live such experiences and was able to learn from those experiences, which I integrated into the skills learned to improve my professional and personal successes.

Even with overcoming all of those challenges, I still doubt my abilities at times. What I have learned is that if you try, do not give up, and work hard, you might succeed. Trust yourself and make an attempt. Do it again, and again, no matter how difficult, challenging and fearful the task might be. Soon you will find you have mastered the skill. What you once thought as being beyond your abilities soon becomes second nature. Try. If you do not try, or give up, you will fail for sure. At times, it seems there may be no hope of success. I have learned even extremely difficult things which I may have never done before in my life are possible, if I am persistent and utilize all inner strength and resources to succeed.

How will you meet your aspirations, goals and engage 2010 with a fresh start and can- do attitude? Any tips or stories to help us overcome fear of failure, preventing any hope of success? I hope you do not have to re-live experiences from infancy to put your new year’s transformation on the fast track; like I experienced. Pursue 2010 with past life’s lessons, build upon and create your best year ever.

May you all have a successful, blessed, joyful, caring and positive 2010.

Bill Tipton

Contributing Author,

Global Dialogue Center

http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wdtipton

Facebook: http://profile.to/wdtipton

Twitter: http://twitter.com/wdtipton

January 24, 2010 in Disabilities, Inspiration, People with Disabilities, Personal Development, Self-Help | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Reflecting and Embracing Another Year's Passing

As we approach the end of this year, I hope we take the time to reflect, learn from others experiences, and embrace another years passing in celebration. Life’s experiences are too precious to waste. I feel that difficulties and challenges can accelerate positive personal growth. Reflecting on success is also beneficial to learn what worked, leverage strategies and attitudes for future successful years.

To facilitate a rewarding year requires one to be observant, act ethically, reflect on past experiences and be ready to accept opportunities.

Below are a couple of reflections from my past that help me continuously learn and embrace life this year.

A Dancing Santa Claus Can Bring Joy and a Positive Attitude:

During a lengthy hospitalization a few years back I was able to experience Christmas in the hospital. I remember the joy of listening to a person in a nearby bed playing a dancing Santa Claus, over and over again. Santa would dance to the song "Jingle Bell Rock". Since I had just become completely blind during my hospitalization, I could only imagine the toy Santa dancing; wriggling his body to the music as the joyful sound filled the hospital. The elderly person who’s Santa was entertaining our section of the hospital would get very excited when Santa would dance and the music would play. He called all the nurses and technicians over to listen, multiple times over the days. As his visitors came to comfort and keep their friend, and or relative company I came to know part of this person’s life and how he was loved by his many visitors. I could tell from the medical procedures he received and conversations he was not going to get better. I listened as he planned to give away his house with joy and gratitude in his voice as he talked about his caregiver, who was the recipient of his house, a gift of love.

Doctors Who Are Never Too Busy to Help and the Power of Spirituality:

To conclude the hospital’s celebration of Christmas, one of my Nephrologists (Kidney Doctor) led the Christmas program in the hospital chapel to bring spiritual hope to the patients and families. I was too weak to leave my hospital bed; but had the privilege to listen live on my television in my room to give me hope I would eventually be able to leave the hospital I had been calling my home for the last 7 months. This Nephrologist also led the Center for Integrative Medicine to help blend the healing of the mind and body to enhance the healing potential of the patients’ he helped. He taught other Nephrologists; one who saved me from going back on dialysis when I was rushed to Intensive Care and my kidneys shut down for the second time during my hospitalization. First time I was on dialysis for ten weeks; but luckily, or unluckily I was in a coma and felt no discomfort

What helped me embrace the past year with passion and drive from reflecting on, and learning from these experiences:

• No matter how difficult our situation is; we can always learn from others who are suffering greater, to help us create a positive year.

• If we are perceived to be, or feel we are too busy, we can always find time to make a difference in other people’s lives.

• Be aware of others around you and be accepting to educational opportunities by observing their actions and the reactions they get from others.

• Do not be afraid to ask for help, accept graciously and reciprocate.

• If you have skills; share with others they can help. You never know who that person will help and the difference you can make indirectly.

• To help me overcome adversity and create a positive year, I had to grow spiritually and emotionally, to confirm the importance of awareness of others and to increase professional and personal skills.

How has reflecting on past years experiences helped you? What have you learned this year that will carry over into next year, to increase the chances next year will be more positive than this year? Did any successes come from observing and learning from others? What have you learned from the challenges if nothing went the way you planned?

We all look forward to ending a wonderful year together by hearing from you.

Bill Tipton

Contributing Author,

Global Dialogue Center

http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wdtipton

Facebook: http://profile.to/wdtipton

Twitter: http://twitter.com/wdtipton


December 22, 2009 in Disabilities, Inclusion, Inspiration, Leadership, People with Disabilities, Personal Development | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Demonstrate Gratitude and Embrace Thankfulness

To increase effectiveness in our professional and personal life we should demonstrate gratitude and embrace thankfulness.

This month gives us extra encouragement to celebrate. Let’s take advantage!! Traditionally, Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks for the harvest and express gratitude in general. If your country does not celebrate Thanksgiving, that should not be a reason not to participate in celebrating such positive emotions.

Why I am thankful and grateful:

I am grateful to have my loving wife Kathy by my side. Ten years ago we experienced some difficult unexpected challenges listed below that altered our life’s plans forever.

• Suddenly going into a coma for 3 months, after awakening finding out I had completely lost all vision.

• Going through multiple surgeries and painful procedures during a 7 month hospitalization to save my life.

• Being told I would never walk again.

• Owing the hospital and doctors many thousands of US dollars, accumulated after I lost my medical insurance.

With the above seemingly difficulties and challenges I have a lot of gratitude and thankfulness to celebrate:

• I feel I was the lucky one lying in the hospital bed during my 7 month hospitalization. I cannot envision how difficult it must have been to be my wife looking at me with many tubes in me, on a ventilator, wondering each day during my 3 month coma, and more months after until I was out of Intensive Care if I would live or die.

• Having Kathy to help me with everything when I first got home from hospital; loosing over one-third of my body weight, new to being blind, no medical insurance, inability to walk; or even sit up in bed required a substantial amount of assistance, time and care.

• Having Kathy to take care of our pets and everything around the home I used to help with enabling me to recover and put my full energy, drive and passion into engaging in physical therapy and re-skilling myself.

• Having my wife as my partner to share and learn together how we would adjust our lives’ to live our new life we were blessed with.

• Ability to be grateful and accept life’s challenges, not waiting for external encouragement. Ability to move on and learn how to walk again, learn essential blind skills and successfully returned to work as a productive employee in just less than one year after going into my coma.

• Was blessed to be given real life lessons to learn from, enabling me to increase effectiveness in my professional and personal life.

I could not have had the time to devote my full attention to the re-skilling needed to obtain my strength and so many new skills so quickly without the support of my loving wife Kathy. I am also very grateful for family, friends, and co-workers that provided valuable support and help when I got home from the hospital. I am grateful for all the dedicated doctors, nurses, therapists, volunteers, Nuns and Chaplains at the Catholic hospital I called my home for the majority of 1999.

I plan on celebrating gratitude and thankfulness with my family and friends. I will also reflect on past challenges and successes. I will remember back to when I was fortunate enough to smell turkey and all trimmings lofting through the air as I celebrated Thanksgiving 1999 in the hospital. I am very grateful that by November 1999 I did not have a feeding tube, was able to eat solid foods and enjoy my turkey dinner. I’ll re-live in my mind, the simple successes, like when I was first able to go outside by myself in my new constant blackness, feel the fresh air blowing against my face, smell the trees and flowers and experience the freedom from my hospital bed. Developing an attitude of sincere gratitude for your current blessings unleashes the power for receiving many more.

Some of you might have read about a few of my past challenges from my other blog posts. I feel re-living difficulties, humbly stating and graciously accepting will strengthen gratitude and thankfulness. . I will not forget people who are less fortunate than me and are experiencing challenges and can use our thoughts and prayers.

I am not beyond learning by any means. That is why I reach out to all of you to allow me to learn how to best keep thankfulness and gratitude in my actions. What do you have to be thankful for? How will you celebrate thankfulness and gratitude this Thanksgiving Day? Do you have any examples of how thankfulness and gratitude has benefitted you and others?

Bill Tipton

Contributing Author,

Global Dialogue Center

http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wdtipton

Facebook: http://profile.to/wdtipton






November 25, 2009 in Disabilities, Food and Drink, Inspiration, People with Disabilities, Personal Development | Permalink | Comments (7)

Embrace the Gift of Positivity

It is hard to believe we have already traveled through ½ of the year. I hope you have found your journey filled with excitement, joy, friendship, love and any difficulties you may have experienced has not stifled your positive attitude, energy for life and pursuit towards your goals. With the challenges many have during these uncertain economic times it is easy to fall into negative feelings and attitudes.  When we see and hear about all of the humanity injustices, our world resources being depleted and degraded, lack of jobs, the gap between the rich and the poor / middle class growing, causing many individuals to slip into poverty and become homeless and hungry can make one become negative. Extreme immediate changes in one’s life causes some to go into “Fight or Flight” mode and act and engage in battles for their own survival. Several feel this is the only way to act to survive. A few will even emotionally abuse the disabled and others in these trying times to get ahead. Some of the people who may make hurtful comments   may not be acting in such a way if times were not so challenging and difficult, in my opinion.

I hope you have accomplished positive work in these difficult times. With a positive attitude, courage and believing in your skills, talents and letting your inner beliefs and passions hold true, you can make a difference! 

It may be hard to break out of a negative frame of mind if your negative thoughts get a tight stranglehold on your inner beliefs in yourself. One good way to keep positive in what seems like challenges is to look at the difficulties and obstacles from another perspective.

An immediate way I can ground myself is to ride on paratransit. Paratransit is a service to drive the disabled who cannot drive themselves, provided in some areas. I am completely blind and ride paratransit to get to some locations. When I ride paratransit I ride with many people with a broad range of disabilities. Just the other day on the way to work I was sitting in the back seat. I was the only person in the car and was holding a pleasant conversation with the driver when it was time to pick up another passenger. When the driver helped the passenger get in next to me, I cheerfully greeted the person as I looked towards their face, with a heartfelt “hello, how are you today?” I did not hear an answer, so I asked again. The driver then told me the person sitting directly next to me cannot speak. I thought to myself as I looked towards this person, I wonder if they had any expression on their face of acknowledgment of what I had said. Since all I can see is blackness, I had no idea if they were even looking towards me as I attempted to greet them. Before I reached my destination this person got out of the car with help from the driver, without my being able to communicate with them, for whatever reason, I never knew why this person could not speak. These true to life, real experiences always make me think about what priorities should be most important in my life and what should be valued. This experience brought back memories of when I did not have the ability to speak for a while after I lost my vision. I wondered if this person’s lack of ability to speak was permanent or temporary.

Let’s work together to fight off negative attitudes, incorrect perceptions and thoughts that will hinder our ability and others to do work at our best potential. If I was not open to considering the possibilities of others, I might assume incorrectly, just because I could not communicate with the person I rode with on paratransit they were not capable of positive work, but in reality they could have been ingenious and were on their way to work to do very valuable, creative and important work that benefits all of us. Try not to let the distractions of the challenges make you lose your focus on what you really value. Do not stifle and blow out the flame of the positive energy of people you do not understand. We need all of the positive people working together to solve our complex problems we currently have.   I hope with the help of other positive and courageous people we can all draw from our strengths to help us pursue our goals and dreams in these extraordinarily challenging times. I believe positive energy can flow through virtual connections.

Has anyone noticed increased challenges for the disabled during these challenging times? Does anyone want to share your accomplishments this year,that you are grateful for? Any lessons learned? Anything you need help with during these difficult times?

Remember we are all extraordinary people. No verbal words or misinterpretations can tear down our true inner souls. They can only put superficial wounds in our outer body that will hurt terribly at times, although these assaults should not be treated as fatal and bring us down. Embrace the gift of positivity!!


Bill Tipton
Contributing Author
Global Dialogue Center
http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/

July 11, 2009 in Disabilities, Inclusion, Inspiration, Leadership, People with Disabilities, Self-Help | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Cherish Connections to Loved Ones

 After many lengthy, exhausting and stressful days and nights at the hospital my wife Kathy would call our home phone. She would let the phone ring, and ring until no one answered and the answering machine picked up and played the recorded away message. Kathy listened to my recorded voice speak “Bill and Kathy are away and please leave a message”. She held the telephone receiver to her ear with love, companionship, sorrow and fear in her heart and tears in her eyes.  She felt some relief pulse through her weakened body and mind while my recorded voice brought back memories of better times. Although Kathy liked to listen to my voice, hearing my familiar voice stirred up thoughts of sadness and the uncertainty and loneliness that was now apart of her daily life. This recorded voice of mine was the only connection back to the happy reality Kathy once knew when she had the opportunity to listen to my real voice any time.

While Kathy listened to the recorded voice, I was in a coma hooked to a respirator and other life support devices.  Nobody knew if I would ever awaken. Kathy cherished her only connection to my voice on our answering machine and the reality she once knew.

With many prayers from all over the world, determination and faith, I awakened from a 3 month long coma, completely blind and unable to speak.  After learning to talk with a Tracheostomy by holding a special device to block the hole in my throat Kathy once again was able to listen to me speak to her with love and companionship in my real voice.
I truly hope nobody ever takes for granted the simple things in life that can go away immediately and forever, such as listening to a love one speak to you. I understand some with certain disabilities may not be able to speak and others cannot hear voices due to hearing impairments and can relate by replacing the ability to hear or speak with other communication methods one might use. 

I feel like I was the lucky one at times being in a coma and having been oblivious to all of the uncertainty and sadness that stirred around me as my family and friends wondered if I would live or die. I personally think it would be very difficult to only have a recording of Kathy’s voice to listen to as my only connection to her. I cannot imagine how she felt having to rely on a recording to bring back memories of me. I also cannot fathom how she took care of me daily in the hospital, took care of the house we live in, all of our household needs, taking care of our pets and everything else while going through such stress, fear, loneliness and uncertainty.

Our wedding anniversary is this month; and Kathy and I will celebrate our love together. I was in a coma for our 12th wedding anniversary. Later I was told  Kathy was all dressed up nicely in a dress, jewelry  and heels as she visited me as I laid there hooked to the world and in my hospital gown; very lovely looking couple.:)   I do not plan on missing this year’s anniversary!!

Cherish every day. We never know when the voice of life might be distinguished forever.

Does anyone have a simple gift that means so much?  Any other stories of how you stay connected to loved ones? I hope we take the time to cherish life’s simplest gifts and stay connected to each other before we loose the chance. 
 
We all look forward to hearing from you.

Bill Tipton
Contributing Author

Global Dialogue Center
http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/

June 05, 2009 in Disabilities, Inspiration, People with Disabilities | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

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