Those of us who make up the physically limited society of the United States would like very little from those of you who make up the able bodied society of the United States.  In actuality we hunger for only two things.  The first thing would be acceptance.  You will ask, “What do you mean by this?”  What we mean by this is your understanding that life is fragile and is filled with many painful realities.  There is nothing man can do about these realities. You cannot run from them nor hide from them.  They will always be there wherever you might travel. 

Those of us who make up the society of physically limited understand we are the true representatives of reality.  This is because we have been struck by reality head on.  Meaning we have lost a limb or two, we have become paralyzed horizontally or vertically or a limitation has come in some other way.  True, the able bodied society chooses to label us in their own way by saying we are disabled or better yet handicapped.  This is why we ask those of you who are able bodied on the face of this earth, “Who on earth is able to run a one minute mile?”  No one has the ability to run a one minute mile, of course. 

This is why everyone is unable to do something; therefore giving everyone a disability.  Name one person on the face of the earth who does not need something.  Again everyone is in need of something.  This is why everyone has a handicap, meaning everyone could hand their cap out for something.  Think about this; fifty thousand Americans become physically limited each year by various means.  This is just one reason the able bodied society fears reality so much.  Now, you will ask, “How can we accept you, when there is no way we can conquer our fears?”  This is how.  We want you to put forth the effort to understand although, our bodies have been weakened physically we are still human beings, just as you are.  We want you to understand our minds remains strong.  We have character, personality, wit, along with much strength you may not want to focus on.  You will ask, “How can you carry these traits with you when your body is weak?”  The answer is simple and that is through the power of the human spirit.  You cannot understand that until you are required to use it.  I challenge you to think about this.  Life is a challenge to see what one can get out of life.  Those who are challenged more get more out of life.  If you would offer your acceptance, you would learn one valuable lesson and that is, you do not know what you have in life until you lose it.  This is why we want to be known as physically limited people, not disable or handicapped people.  This is why we want you to focus on the individual, so you can see our strengths and abilities.  If you concentrate on our limitations you will only see our weaknesses.  The same goes for those who are mentally limited. They are not retarded, they are just mentally limited.

The second thing we want from the able bodied society is for them to give us the opportunities we deserve.  Although we are physically limited, this does not mean we are mentally limited.  We hunger to know why you can only concentrate on our physical limitations and not focus on our mental abilities.  I, myself, have been physically limited since the age of eleven from a series of hemorrhages in my brain, meaning strokes.  Finding a job for myself has always been a difficult task.  I landed my first full time job with the Georgia Department of Education in February of 1987.  I was very pleased to have been given a chance, for the first time.  I continued working for the state of Georgia, getting a few promotions here and there.  In January 1990 I entered Georgia State University.  In August of 1994, I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History.  By this time I was a principal clerk with the Georgia Department of Revenue Division of Motor Vehicles.  Having a college degree I thought would open many doors for me.  I applied for a number of jobs and got reply after reply, stating I was not qualified.  Then in December of 1996, I was unjustly terminated by the DMV for not making quota.  I lost my ADA law suit against the state. 

I would not find another job until August of 1998.  This is when I began working for a rather large fortune 500 Company.  Now I thought I would have a chance to make a stand and rise up to new ranks.  This would never take place.  After five years of service I was laid off.  Today, I am on disability, but I am eager to go back to work.  Having been unemployed for eighteen months I have applied for over one hundred jobs.  This would include twelve with the federal Government, forty five with the state of Georgia, four with the Georgia Institute of Technology, five with Georgia State University and the list goes on.  This is just one reason we want opportunity to come our way.  We want everyone to understand that a weak body can carry character along with a strong mind.  Everyone includes every potential employer in the U S.  We want you to give us the chance to prove what we are made of.  The ADA does nothing, employment wise, for those of us who are physically limited. 

I hunger to see my autobiography “The Joys of Living” published, not for my sake, but for the sake of mankind.  Not a day passes, when I do not think of the words President John F. Kennedy spoke at his 1960 Inauguration, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but instead ask what you can do for your country.”  I simply ask, “When will you let us have the chance to do something?”

 In closing here is a point to ponder “If one’s mind could open as wide as one’s mouth an ocean of understanding could enter”.

Darrell A. Deeds

What we hunger for

Those of us who make up the physically limited society of the United States would like very little from those of you who make up the able bodied society of the United States.  In actuality we hunger for only two things.  The first thing would be acceptance.  You will ask, “What do you mean by this?”  What we mean by this is your understanding that life is fragile and is filled with many painful realities.  There is nothing man can do about these realities. You cannot run from them nor hide from them.  They will always be there wherever you might travel. 

Those of us who make up the society of physically limited understand we are the true representatives of reality.  This is because we have been struck by reality head on.  Meaning we have lost a limb or two, we have become paralyzed horizontally or vertically or a limitation has come in some other way.  True, the able bodied society chooses to label us in their own way by saying we are disabled or better yet handicapped.  This is why we ask those of you who are able bodied on the face of this earth, “Who on earth is able to run a one minute mile?”  No one has the ability to run a one minute mile, of course. 

This is why everyone is unable to do something; therefore giving everyone a disability.  Name one person on the face of the earth who does not need something.  Again everyone is in need of something.  This is why everyone has a handicap, meaning everyone could hand their cap out for something.  Think about this; fifty thousand Americans become physically limited each year by various means.  This is just one reason the able bodied society fears reality so much.  Now, you will ask, “How can we accept you, when there is no way we can conquer our fears?”  This is how.  We want you to put forth the effort to understand although, our bodies have been weakened physically we are still human beings, just as you are.  We want you to understand our minds remain strong.  We have character, personality, wit, along with mental strength you may not want to focus on.  You will ask, “How can you carry these traits with you when your body is weak?”  The answer is simple and that is through the power of the human spirit.  You cannot understand the power of the human spirit until you are required to use your human spirit.  I challenge you to think about this.  “Life is a challenge to see what one can get out of life.”  Those who are challenged more get more out of life.  If you would offer all of those who are physically limited your acceptance, you would learn one valuable lesson and that is, you do not know what you have in life until you lose it and that life is the second greatest gift of all.  You would understand that there is no definition for life and that you have no choice, but to live life day by day.  This is why we want to be known as physically limited people, not disable or handicapped people.  This is why we want you to focus on the individual that exist, not on the limitations that are present, so you can see our strengths and abilities.  If you concentrate on our limitations you will only see our weaknesses and never see are strengths.  The same goes for those who are mentally limited. They are not retarded, they are just mentally limited and please understand that is not by choice.  Since mental limitation take place from birth and not during one traveling the road called life there is absolutely no reason for fear.  It is your concentrating on their mental limitations that brings discomfort.

The second thing we want from the able bodied society is for them to give us the opportunities we deserve.  Although we are physically limited, this does not mean we are mentally limited.  We hunger to know why you can only concentrate on our physical limitations and not focus on our mental abilities.  I, myself, have been physically limited since the age of eleven from a series of hemorrhages in my brain, meaning strokes.  Finding a job for myself has always been a difficult task.  I landed my first full time job with the Georgia Department of Education in February of 1987.  I went through eleven interviews with a number of state departments before this took place.  I was very pleased to have been given a chance, for the first time.  I continued working for the state of Georgia, getting a few promotions here and there.  In January 1990 I entered Georgia State University.  On August 27, 1994, I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History.  By this time I was a principal clerk with the Georgia Department of Revenue Division of Motor Vehicles.  Having a college degree I thought would open many doors for me.  I applied for a number of jobs and got reply after reply, stating I was not qualified.  Then in December of 1996, I was unjustly terminated by the DMV for not making quota for title examination.  I lost my ADA law suit against the state. 

I would not find another job until August of 1998.  This is when I began working for a rather large fortune 500 Company.  Now I thought I would have a chance to make a stand and rise up to new ranks.  This would never take place.  After five years of service I was laid off.  Today, I am on disability, but I am eager to go back to work.  Having been unemployed since December 2003 I have applied for over one hundred jobs.  This would include twelve with the federal Government, fifty five with the state of Georgia, fifteen with the Georgia Institute of Technology, seven with Georgia State University and the list goes on and I continue to search for an employer.  This is just one reason we want opportunity to come our way.  We want everyone to understand that a weak body can carry character along with a strong mind.  Everyone includes every potential employer in the U S.  We want you to give us the chance to prove what we are made of.  The ADA does nothing, employment wise, for those of us who are physically limited and it does very little other wise.

I hunger to see my autobiography “The Joys of Living” and “My Expressions of Life” published, not for my sake, but for the sake of mankind.  Not a day passes, when I do not think of the words President John F. Kennedy spoke at his 1960 Inauguration, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but instead ask what you can do for your country.”  I simply ask, “When will you let us have the chance to do something?”

 In closing here is a point to ponder “If one’s mind could open as wide as one’s mouth an ocean of understanding could enter”.

Darrell A. Deeds

March 12, 2006

The Road called Life

Travel down a road

Watch a butterfly rest upon a daisy

Listen to the song of a Whippoorwill

Taste the flavors of a peach

Feel the sting of a cold winter’s breeze

Smell the sweetness of a honeysuckle vine

Grab a friend who will follow you for a lifetime

Place the memories between the pages of your mind

Travel down a road to receive the gifts of life

Darrell Andrew Deeds

1-9-99

Why does man fight war

Is it to prove his simplicity

Is it so he can build monuments and memorials

Is it so he can fill cemeteries

How long will it take

Before man understands

Humans killing humans achieves nothing

What has a single war accomplished

Other than death and destruction

Think of all the money spent on all the wars

This could feed all the people in the world

For at least 5 million years

Why then does man not

Cast his eyes on peace

Man should focus on his weaknesses

To see how man might grow in strength

Man should focus on what life offers him

How long will war last

Until man no longer dwells on the earth

Darrell A. Deeds

March 21, 2006

When I am lost

Where do I go when I am lost

Searching for a trail that will lead me the

Right way

Hungering for a friend who will take the

Pains of loneliness away

Hoping I will be found

Hoping I will find my way

Hoping my fears will go away

When I am lost I think of what will

Come my way

I live on hope that the answers to my prayers will

Come my way

When I am lost it is God who I seek

For I know it is he who will lead me in

The right way

Darrell A. Deeds

March 31, 2004

A Challenge Defined

A challenge is where life itself asks an individual can you accept what I might bring your way?  This is why faith is a necessity of life.  Because it is faith and faith alone that gives one the strength they need to accept any challenge that life might bring their way.  Today I know I did not know the strength of my faith the day a challenge was brought my way on October 20, 1974.  Today I know it was my faith that taught me that in order to receive the joys of living one must focus on what they have in life and never concentrate on what one does not have in life.  One should realize challenge and faith are two great gifts offered to man.  This is why I am so thankful that HT is the greatest friend I have ever had in my life.

Darrell A. Deeds

9-27-04

My Friends

My friends are more than the table legs that give me support

My friends are more than the sunshine on my shoulders that brings me warmth when I am cold

My friends are more than the spirits that lift me high when I am down

My friends are more than the angels that place a smile upon my face

In awe my friends are the completion of my picture of life

My friends are the ones who can accept the differences I carry with me

Pause a moment to think of what your friends mean to you

Mine mean the world to me for this is what they have given me

Darrell A. Deeds

5-2-02

Why we wish to be understood

Who am I speaking of you will ask

One should know we are a minority in the world population

We are labeled many different names

This stems from being mangled and having a vast variety of appearances

Yet we are human just as those who label us

We hunger to show are character

But the world wishes to close its’ eyes

The same goes for our humor, intellect, and all the positive traits that we hold within

Ourselves

Yet you still close your eyes

To the people we are

This is why we ask

Why do you not wish to broaden your horizons

To see who we truly are

Why can you not look beyond the spheres that appear to be obstacles to you

This is why we challenge you to understand

We have been challenged to challenge you

To understand who we are

To look beyond the spheres that appear to obstacles

This is why we wish to be understood

This is why we wish not to be label

For we are human beings just like you

Darrell A. Deeds

March 30, 2006

Where would I want to travel

There is only one road we can travel

This of course would be The Road Called Life

True we have no control over our destiny

But some things can be controlled

By our making the right choices and making the right decisions

This should be the reason

To think about the second greatest gift of all

This without a doubt is the gift of life

Why then not focus on what is offered is offered to you

Where would you be without

Your eyes, your ears, your tongue, your nose, your nerves your mind your heart

Oh one should know

You would be lost with no place to go.

Isn’t this the reason

We should all look at all the things life offers

Whether big or small

After all some of the biggest gifts appear to be the smallest things of all

Think about life

And where do you want to travel

Darrell A. Deeds