This is in response to John Green’s incredible book, Hollywood, Ending, which is just wow! Thanks to Bookshare for getting Hollywood, Ending so quick. I read it in 3 days of it being out in the world!
One of the lines that stuck out at me is: “Except once I’ve traded those little pieces of myself, I can’t get them back. They’re not mine anymore.”
I am open with my disability in public, on social media, and on my blog. That is because I have a very visible disability, cerebral palsy, which causes my muscles to move uncontrollably. I am very comfortable with this fact, and try to balance the honesty of living my life and my experiences with a certain amount of privacy – you don’t hear about all of my stuff!
You may know me as many things: a public speaker, a disability rights advocate, a traveler, hopeful author, reader, friend, family, and concert goer. You may have found out about me through the video I did with Microsoft, the interview I did with Mary Lucia, or other media interviews. I am comfortable with sharing that part of my life, of trading that part of my life for public consumption because I’m hopeful that what I am talking about moves people to understanding where I am coming from, that it’s worth trading part of my identity for a voice at the table.
Anyway, go get the book – I highly recommend it! And, John Green is doing a Hollywood, Ending Book Tour right now. I am excited to see him again at Saint Kate’s O’Shaughnessy Auditorium in St. Paul in a week.
As I learned long ago from John and Hank Green – don’t forget to be awesome!
