A Hospital Christmas circa 1960

Posted on by Terry Wiens

“The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life” – Richard Bach

CONFESSIONS In preparation for the suggested snow that may be coming I did a quick roll over to the mall to grab the last “essentials” I may need for the next couple of days.  It was a sunny day here but cold as a witches…well you know the saying and a strong wind was blowing.

Got to the mall and it was chaos.  There was what looked like a line up for the munchkin characters auditioning for a remake of The Wizard of Oz.  This was the first crowd I had encountered that I could actually see over.  It is that time of year when I am eye level with more people (children) and they don’t all have pointy ears.  As I got closer I realized it was the line-up for the photo with Santa.  I haven’t given it much though recently because everything I need to do is done.  All that is left is to get the gifts over to my son and grandson.

Christmas for me has become very simple.  I kind of prefer it that way.  Takes me [...] continue the story

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The White Noise of Activism

Posted on by Terry Wiens

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter” – Martin Luther King Jr That quote has been a mantra of mine for over forty years.  It was eight years after his death before I discovered it.  The essence of that sentence became a way of life for me much to the chagrin of those closest to me.  I am not known for my quiet servitude.  I pride myself on my ability to assess a situation through a number of lenses and then take action.  If it is something I consider an injustice I am never “silent”.  Activism is in my DNA. If those closest to us don’t get why will anybody else? I was 14 years old when my activism career began. It was a combination of internal development ignited by external events.  Fourteen is a difficult time in the developmental process of a teenager.  With puberty happening and the Limbic System kicking in it is a precarious time for the development of a psychosocial persona.  This isn’t restricted to kids in a hospital but something every teenager faces.  In the community an angry teen can act out in many ways but you have limited options in a controlled environment like a hospital.  You [...] continue the story

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Breathing Lessons

Posted on by Jessica Yu

ACADEMY AWARD WINNER! According to Mark O’Brien, “The two mythologies about disabled people break down to one: we can’t do anything, or two: we can do everything. But the truth is, we’re just human.” O’Brien was a frequently published journalist and poet, and a contributor to National Public Radio. He contracted polio in childhood and, due to post-polio syndrome, spent much of his life in an iron lung. Yet for more than forty years, he fought against illness, bureaucracy and society’s conflicting perceptions of disability for his right to lead an independent life.

Breathing Lessons breaks down barriers to understanding by presenting an honest and intimate portrait of a complex, intelligent, beautiful and interesting person, who happens to be disabled. Incorporating the vivid imagery of O’Brien’s poetry, and his candid, wry and often profound reflections on work, sex, death and God, this provocative film asks: what makes a life worth living?

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