Our disability - In the words of Patrick Henry Hughes

I was watching one of my guilty pleasures last night, Extreme Makeover Home Edition when I heard some very profound words from a young man who has overcome a lot of odds. There is something about giving these families a chance at a better life that sucks me in and almost every time I see a show I end up bawling at the end --- It never fails!

Yesterday, i watched the show as they built a new house for Patrick Henry Hughes and his family. Now, I had heard of Patrick before. He was in a story on CBS's Sunday Morning program sometime last year. See, Patrick was born without eyes and with only limited ability to straighten his arms and legs. He lives his life in a wheelchair. But despite this, he became a music prodigy. He can play a number of instruments, including the piano, and, with the help of his father who pushes him around into formation, is a member of the University of Louisville marching band, playing the trumpet.

I was expecting to get the normal teary emotional boost I normally get from the show but then, during the pre-construction interview, Patrick explained his viewpoint on his disabilities. He said that he actually views sighted people with the disability because, by not having sight, he is not distracted by physical appearance. He does not know what red, black, or yellow looks like. He only gets to know what a person is like on the inside and that is something that he considers as an advantage.

Wow! Such an eloquent point and a inspiring viewpoint.