Mélange Accessibility for All Magazine April 2022 | Page 73

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So . . . how do I go about reaching the top shelves now ? The jars which my hands are too small to open ...... the washing basket that ’ s too big to lift ...... for the last 7 months my coping mechanisms for all these things had been in the form of another person , a person who wasn ’ t there anymore . For 7 months we ’ d built ourselves a routine , I ’ d built a routine , and it felt like overnight all of that had been taken away .
It didn ’ t feel fair . I was already under immense pressure , and so much was changing .... every day ...... no one knew what the next day would bring . The whole world was worried , so you really think I wanted to spend even a semi-fraction of a second contemplating how I was going to open a jar ? . . .
But this was the reality I was facing . This was the full extent of what it was like to be small in today ’ s somewhat slightly weird society .
Somedays . . . were easier than others ..... as days passed , I started to find my feet , I found new places to put things , places I could reach with ease even if some did mean my kitchen looked a little messy . I found new routines which meant the washing basket never got too heavy . I learned how to do a one-woman cooking act ... in place of the 4 people I usually have beside me . I learned how to master the basics all whilst trying to also master a degree .
And some days I kicked ass . Other days . It kicked me .
And that ’ s ok . Because with every hurdle sometimes you fall at the first one ...... sometimes you fall at the 1000th one ! But you get up and you try again , why ? Because we don ’ t have any other choice . Other days .
We have no say in the cards we are dealt , only on how we play them .... and whilst I never imagined , opening jars , reaching shelves and cooking with step stools to be part of my game , I embrace each levelhave I mastered all the basics ? Most likely not . But for now , at least .
I think I at least stepped up a level .