Possibilities cancel disabilities!
Written on March 18, 2006 – | by Lois (admin)
21 year old Rachael Scdoris is legally blind, but she has managed to turn the word “disability” into “possibility.” Her website I see only possibilities tells her story. Since March 4, Rachael has been pursuing the world’s longest sled dog race, the Iditarod. Beginning at Anchorage, Alaska, Rachael raced through 12 days and 1000 miles of freezing temperatures and sleepless nights to pursue her dream. Today, Rachael Scdoris became the first legally blind athlete to complete the famed Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
There may be times when a disability prevents a person from working to earn a living. But many severely handicapped individuals have found successful and rewarding employment. Even if unable to earn a living, no one should feel disabled from having a productive and fulfilling life!
I love Rachael’s choice of the word “possibility.” Possibilities cancel disabilities! They teach us that we can make it through any obstacle course. Remember when you were a youngster and you traced a paper maze with a lead pencil? When you came to a dead end, you just turned around and found a different way. You kept trying until you found your way out of the maze!
Sure, it took a little longer than it would have without the obstacles. But the obstacles were what made it challenging. A strait course with no traps wouldn’t have been any fun! Just like the maze, when one path in life doesn’t work, that immediately presents us with an opportunity to find a different path to reach our goals. As we achieve each new hurdle, we gain confidence and wisdom for the next one.
What fun to explore our opportunities! So what the first one didn’t work? We just find a better one, and bank the experience we’ve picked up along the way. Our goals and dreams may change in the process, but our spirit doesn’t. We know that obstacles just guide us away from the wrong directions for us, and into the right ones.
Thanks, Rachael, for teaching us about possibilities!
I first read Rachael’s story at katu.com. Among Rachael’s many honors is a feature in USA Today. More awards and honors are listed on her website. Click here to review Rachael’s progress as she completed the race.
Photo credit: Photos of Rachael Scdoris are the property of Standard Insurance Company. Used by permission for stories about Rachael.
