Defining the Disabled

Joni Mitchell once sang "you don't know what you've got until it's gone." It's easy to ignore this sentiment until one acknowledges the simple things usually taken for granted.
Within walking distance of my job is the headquarters for the National Institute for People with Disabilities. The organization provides services, education, and training for people who have developmental and learning disabilities. Every time I walk by the building, I think about my younger brother. He'll be 23 years old in May ... but autism has rendered him with the intellectual capacity of a 5-year-old.
My compassion for the disabled comes from not only having a mentally impaired person in my immediate family, but also in knowing that a freak accident could happen to anyone at any time -- including me. When I see a disabled person needing a caregiver or wheelchair to get around, I realize how lucky I am to have the ability to do mundane activities like answer the telephone or take a shower without assistance.
Million Dollar Baby put a spotlight on what it means to be disabled (controversial ending notwithstanding), but the real lesson lies in how quadriplegics like Darryl Stingley lived their lives. He never expressed bitterness about his predicament, and he used a negative situation to spark positive change in the NFL. His story should inspire all people -- especially able-bodied ones -- to do a better job of extending goodwill toward their fellow (wo)man.