Many people have had to compromise. I’m one of those people, too. When we’re young, we see our future in a linear direction, but there are many pit stops, U-turns, and flat tires in life. Like many people, I’ve had to compromise on my dreams… but compromising does not mean you’ve given up. It means things have changed.
Just four years ago, I was a perfectly healthy young adult. Today, after many doctors and tests, I struggle with normality because of thyroid disease and a channelopathy disorder like Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis. Having your life change so profoundly warps your perception of the world. It crushes your self-esteem. It isolates you. But the worst thing you can do, in my opinion, is let those changes break you. Instead, change should be used as a source of strength. No matter the obstacles, if you’re passionate about something, you will find a way to participate. That’s exactly what Polish drifter Bartosz Ostalowski did after he lost both of his arms in a motorcycle accident. He could have said, “No, I can’t drive. I don’t have arms.” (Well, whatever that translates to in Polish). Instead, the double-amputee continues to drift cars with incredible talent and skill. He drives with his left foot, accelerates and brakes with his right, and changes gear with his shoulder.
It’s important to remember, though, that like any drivers, those with disabilities must show competency and safety behind the wheel. While many people may not see racing drivers as athletes, they are participating in a physically demanding sport which requires incredible attention, strength, and endurance.
Italian race car driver Alex Zanardi has been a race winner in the FIA World Touring Car Championship series. He’s also a Paralympic gold medalist. He accomplished all of this and more after a collision in 2001. Zanardi lost both of his legs but continued to persevere and participate. Often, we need to participate to prove to ourselves that we are still whole people with value and purpose. The challenge of tackling obstacles helps the emotional healing process after your life has been altered beyond recognition. Many newly diagnosed people go through the stages of grief because a part of themselves has been lost.
The grueling Dakar Rally—it’s a famous race where one-third of all vehicles do not even finish. It’s an astonishing 5,500 miles long, across rough desert and mountain terrains. It runs from Lima, Peru to Santiago, Chile.
In 2013, a group of disabled war veterans participated in the Dakar Rally. Their team name was “Race2Recovery.” Not only did they require carrying parts for the car, but they needed to carry parts for their many prosthetic limbs. Out of 450 vehicles, Race2Recovery was part of the two-thirds to finish the race. It's difficult to look at the accomplishments of these drivers and call them disabled. Sure, these tasks are more difficult due to injury or illness. Participating requires more learning. We are all unique and will face our own set of challenges when facing any obstacle. But most importantly, these challenges, both physical and mental, require determination and strength. We all have that primal will-to-live, but finding that will-to-thrive can be a little more challenging. I believe the desire to thrive starts with finding a way to participate in your passions. Resources: Preston, Andrew. "5,500 miles, four land Rovers, six spare legs and an Allen key: How Britain's disabled war veterans took on the notorious Dakar Rally." Daily Mail. Web. 25 February 2013. Temple, Stephanie. Race2Recovery: Beyond Injury, Achieving the Extraordinary. J H Haynes & Co Ltd. Print. 2013.
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AuthorLiberty White Archives
November 2017
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