“Extra Extra hey look at the headline, historical news is being made.”

Ali Stroker, a Glee alumni and hugely talented American actress wins a Tony for her role as Ado Annie Carnes in the  revival of Oklahoma. The take away line in the song she belts out -I”Caint” say no “ is “how can I be what I ain’t, I can’t say no.” As the crowd stood and you sat in the wheelchair that has given you mobility since an accident left you paralyzed at the age of 2 we honored your success with adoration. In your appreciation speech you thanked your parents for teaching you to give to others from your talents. What a gift they gave you and what a gift you gave us. 

So we wake up, get out of bed and walk into the kitchen to make the coffee. The things we take for granted other people are praying for.   

Our no brainers are often the only things on someone else’s mind. 

I can crowd the page with adages galore about paying it forward, put your money where your mouth is and “walking” the walk. 

Our Aunt Da, our mother’s older sister was  physically limited due to a bone infection in her hip before modern medicine was able to cure it. People would treat her differently because her gate was different. My family would look twice as the comments were made because we only saw her from the inside out. We live with preconceived notions about physical disabilities, limitations and challenges. We joined a club up in Westchester for the summer months. I asked to be included in a canasta game. Just for right now there are  no “seats” available. I walked away from the week-end feeling badly about the lack of hospitality we were shown in an upper crust and privileged setting. Shame on me. Needless to say as my husband and I cried through Ali Stroker’s victory speech, we reeled in our complaints and concerns about a canasta game, a leak in a bathroom sink or sitting in traffic. Ali Stroker has been sitting in traffic since she was a child and tonight “walked” away with it all.