Beautiful minds inspire others
We had 5 people come speak to us with regards to different
intellectual and developmental conditions. The first woman who came to speak to
us was a lady who spearheaded the beginning of an organisation called “action
in autism.” This was as a result of her son being born with autism, and not
finding the necessary facilities to cater to his needs. So instead of fighting
that there be more places to cater for autistic children, she opened the
centres herself. Talk about DIY. Now there are many non-profit centres open
that provide children with autism all the care and education they need. They
also provide support for the family members and caregivers. This woman was
incredibly passionate in advocating for people living with autism, and spoke
about accommodations, easily made accommodations, we can use when working with
people who have autism.
The second person who came to speak to us was a 19 year old
male who has autism. He was quite inspirational as it showed how far he had
come because of the OT services he had been given. He said he would like to
thank OTs for making so much of a difference and that because of OT’s, he is
now able to self-regulate, speak to large groups of people, drive in crowded
places and even consider moving overseas to live on his own. I think the
biggest lesson learnt is that these people living with autism are, number 1,
aware of it, and number 2, don’t actually want special treatment, but rather
the opposite. To just be treated as normal children. It was quite an eye opener
as most people would obviously want to give the autistic child more attention
to ensure they are coping and participating. And lastly, number 3, that they
are actually much more emotionally in tune than people believe. This was
evidenced by the fact that during the therapy sessions, he would be able to
pick up if his mom and therapist was in a bad head space, or in other
therapist’s cases, not really caring, and as such, therapy sessions were not as
beneficial as usual. He said passion is an integral part of our job and if you
did not have it, you are very much in the wrong career. I personally really
enjoyed his account of his life and his thanks for OT, as this helped my
flickering spark of passion for OT burn a bit brighter. To know we make a
difference is one thing, but to be told and be shown evidence is completely
another. I am especially grateful for this speaker for overcoming his
struggles, and giving me a bit more determination to overcome mine.
Next we had a social worker and a service user from a
substance abuse centre come speak to us. The social worker just explained the
programme all the service users went through and the available facilities. The
gentlemen spoke of how drugs had ruined his life and stolen him from his
family. How he had been homeless, how much time he had lost and what dreams he
hoped to achieve now that he was clean. He said “success is my destination” and
this is a statement that really resonated with me as things about success are
often so long winded and multi-facetted. This was a simple quick statement that
can really become a mantra, and if success is your destination, nothing can
hold you back if you have the determination and the passion to achieve your
dreams.
Our last speaker was a lady from the Down syndrome
association, she spoke about the condition and what their organisation offered
to people with Down syndrome. A lot of this was to do with neurology, life
expectancy and lack of funds given to this developmental delay. It was quite
saddening how grim life expectancy statistics are for people with Down
Syndrome, and this just made me want to make these people’s lives easier and
improve their quality of life.
And so through being inspired, I hope to inspire others in
my work, in my therapy and in my life. To do what these 5 speakers have done
for me… giving me a renewed sense of purpose and pride in my profession and in
my life. This was exactly what I needed to continue to rekindle my spark for
OT.
So I want to leave you with a quote that has kept me going
through the difficult times. A quote that really spoke to me, as these people
spoke to me.
“And one day she discovered that she was fierce, and strong
and full of fire, and that not even she could hold herself back, because her
passion burned brighter than her fears.”
References:
Sweatt, L. (2019). 17
Motivational Quotes to Inspire You to Be Successful. Retrieved 30 September
2019, from https://www.success.com/17-motivational-quotes-to-inspire-you-to-be-successful/
56 Motivational
Inspirational Quotes About Life & Success (2019) | Brian Tracy. (2019).
Retrieved 30 September 2019, from
https://www.briantracy.com/blog/personal-success/26-motivational-quotes-for-success/
Addicted2Success.com), J.
(2019). 40 Rare Motivational and Inspirational Picture Quotes. Retrieved 30
September 2019, from https://addicted2success.com/quotes/40-rare-motivational-inspirational-picture-quotes/
78 Motivational And
Inspirational Quotes That Will Inspire You. (2019). Retrieved 30 September
2019, from https://www.dailyfunnyquote.com/78-motivational-and-inspirational-quotes-that-will-inspire-you/3/
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