Do you think a person's "shortcomings" or "disabilities" can ever be a blessing ?

Question

...your thoughts?

I have extended this question as some answers are still trickling in...I must say, that I have read every single word of my answerers...to chose a best answer is going to be difficult, but that will be in a few more days...
I have been "blown away" by what many of you have written...both positive and not so positive feed back...this question has taken on a life of it's own, as it should, really,...I must apologize for not "fully" realizing this to start with, but am glad I am seeing it now...
I am disabled and have been so since 1998...I am not going to go into describing "my" disability, that's not why I asked this question...rather, I will continue to read and re-read your answers...and remain grateful that you were willing to share...

Evelyn (Tues, Oct 2)

Answer 1

Yes, for sure! Some people don't see it that way, and get angry, bitter or depressed, but the fact is that all our challenges are lessons in life. If we accept it and make the best out of it, we learn the lesson and the reward will come in this or in the next life.

Peace!

Answer 2

I'm not sure, my Dad who is deceased now had a lot of mental emotional issues which manifested in a way to where he seemed disabled and he really was to some degree.

When it's "all in your head" it can never be a blessing, but a dreaded anvil that never seem to stop breaking through earth.

Then again I don't know I did everything I could to help him...

Otherwise I have met people with "disabilities" and the like who have incredible healing power. True, Godlike love can shine through those more humble. Any one who has been framed by circumstance can have a very strong, positive effect on others. Do these person have any concept of how other persons lives are touched? Probably not very often.

Answer 3

People are getting the word "disabilities" here confused with impairment, illness, injury or whatever other politically correct term is being used for a unique condition.

The word "Disability" always relates to a loss of ability to do something. It is never positive, or meant to be. How could anyone ever honestly see a genuine loss as a blessing? There can also being great harm in double-thinking any word, as it leads to a loss of reason within that society. This can and does lead some people into thinking that logic is not a reliable system when making decisions.

Can people make the best of a bad situation? Yes. Can someone discover things that they would not have before an illness or injury? Yes. But, this should not lead to the conclusion that we should actually be thankful when so stricken that we are unable to do the things we would like to do, and eventually this illusion will come tumbling down like a house of cards.

People are also confusing handicaps and just unique physical and mental conditions with those that are disabling. No, I do not experience severe pain as a blessing. Nerve pain has often been described by my fellow female patients as 10 times worse than natural childbirth. This is the most common comparison that I hear at our local Multiple Sclerosis clinic. Human Beings leap out of windows of skyscrapers to escape fire knowing that they will fall to their deaths. That is about the only thing that compares to this level of pain. The only positive thing about this is that pain means the nerves are not yet dead, so we still have some command of that part of the body for a little while longer. Some people just cannot understand this, or anything else unless it happens to them. Some just do not care about what does not effect them directly. But, some can and do understand which is why I write what I know will be an unpopular message in this setting.

Everything in life is not a blessing. If it were we wouldn't have a need for such a word. There are thousands of listings that meet the term "disabilities". The most popular and intense answerers in this setting are usually dealing with what I would call very mild conditions, that are not really disabling. In the most severe cases, we are not even getting input, because those people are not "able" to even use a computer right now. Reading these answers, a person can tell that though some people are not able to do everything, they are able to do most of the things they want to do in life. They should not project that same attitude across the board.

I do respect those who are following a psychological plan that they have some sort of super-power because of some physical or mental deficit, which if followed perfectly would so uplift them that they would not even answer in a category about People living with Disabilities. But, try to also respect those who have lost much in life that was earned. Many of us struggle daily, with persistent mild pain, and bouts of the most severe pain that a human being can experience. I have yet to meet a real human being who was able to express the Polyanna attitude during an attack of severe pain. This is another example of comparing apples to oranges or even grapes to grapefruit when we look at the size of the disability.

Some people will read this with baited breath, not even reading the whole message before applying a thumbs down. Most of them do not even meet the severity to be listed a fully disabled. I don't really understand why they participate in this category, unless it is just the only place where they can feel superior. But again, I know some out there are reading this and thinking that at least someone knows how they feel. I do. I will speak out for them as long as I can, then hopefully someone will speak/type out for me when I am no longer able.

Answer 4

Being disabled is the reality many people live with, its not a blessing, anymore than having freckles is. How can it be a blessing? A blessing suggests a gift from God and thats just a silly way people try to make others feel better about being disabled. If you told me my disabilities were a blessing I would want to slap you, its patronizing and condescending to say such a thing to a person.

"Oh how LUCKY and BLESSED you are that you were born with no arms! God must love you so much!" Not me, but as an example.

The disabled people I have also worked with dont consider the problems and barriers they face a blessing - what would be a blessing would be to suddenly be able to run and play with the other kids and not grow up ostracized and marginalized

Disabled people do not appreciate being "talked down to" and treated like idiots. Our disabilities are a reality we have to learn to accomodate, is it a blessing that we learn ways of coping? NO, I am sure we would all rather not, thank you.

Is it a blessing that you learned to feed yourself and dress yourself and drive a car? Of course not. Ordinary accomplishments are NOT blessings, they are just harder to achieve for a lot of disabled people.

I dont mean to sound harsh or mean but come on ... this is, in my opinion, ridiculous.

Answer 5

Firstly I wouldn't equate shortcomings-something like temper or impatience as part of a disability . Shortcoming are human personality traits.

As for my disbility being a blessing, I guess it depends on the day. I do think having a disability has given me more compassion and empathy to those are vulnerable, whether or not they are disabled or visible minorities or low income persons. I've become far more interested in social justice issues , not just in Canada but around the world and advocate for them.

So maybe in retrospect my disability is indeed a blessing. God gives everyone a purpose to have in life , perhaps he chose that I have my disabilities to I could be more compassionate, empathetic and advocate in social justice issues. And perhaps he gave me disabilities so that I could show people that you can be confident and worthy and contribute to society even if you're not society's definition of 'perfection'.

Answer 6

definitely a big yes. everyone is a blessing to the world. no exceptions.

it's called having a "disability" right.. but it really doesn't mean that at all. yes, there are some things that these people can't do. But there are also so many OTHER things that these people CAN do.

what i'm saying is, why would we ever think that it is not a blessing? living itself is a blessing. and having a disability does not mean that one is not blessed. there is much much more that we need to appreciate rather than just focusing on that disability. there is so much to do in this life. that in itself is a blessing.

Answer 7

i have a 7 yr old niece who is severely disabled. they don't have a name for her condition. she is missing a chromosome, i know. she can't talk, walk, feed herself, she has never played. she likes to watch certain tv shows. that's really all she does. she has a special wheelchair, and she goes to school with other children with disabilities, and she seems to enjoy that. she has seizures, and she has started to spit up often, they don't know why. she can't sit up by herself. she needs hip surgery because they have dislocated from sitting like she does. she has bowel trouble and has to take a form of laxative. she has so many problems. shes such a sweet little girl, but she doesn't really acknowledge her surroundings. they think she'll always be in diapers. she literally can't do anything. she does put her hands out to be washed. and sometimes she cries so hard, and no one can tell what is wrong because she can't talk. i just wish she could communicate. and be able to play a little, it's so sad... in her case, i don't see any blessing..

Answer 8

Yes, they can be. It depends on the type and severity of the disability and the attitude the disabled person has regarding their disability. There is of course a lot of cases in which the disability cannot be considered a blessing, but there are certainly cases where it can be.

One example: Have you ever noticed how some mentally challenged people are happy most of the time? I swear that the happiest people I know have Down's Syndrome. They are generally happier and more loving than "normal" people.

Answer 9

When you describe a disability as a shortcoming - that is negative and who wants it? But if you simply think of disability as a different way of being in the world - then it simply is. Not a blessing - just a reality. A reality that if you embrace and work with can give you opportunities (some may consider these blessings) others may never encounter.

Disability can change you in bad ways and good ways. Focus on the bad - and that is what disability is.

Answer 10

When a person is born blind they cannot see what we see, but they can see more beautiful as they are not subject to word horrible or aweful.

A person that is born deaf will never hear what the beauty of sound is so they can never understand how sopund effects emotions

The list goes on and on and the blessings of a handicapped child born in this world are much more happier than those born without.