The room was full of people who sat listening and watching with great interest as Rosemarie Rossetti, Ph.D., gave her interactive, PowerPoint presentation.  I say interactive because group participation was encouraged.

Rosemarie has a Ph.D. in agriculture, but her calling in life might be motivational speaker.  She has published books, was named Ms. Wheelchair Ohio and has carried the Olympic Torch.  But her greatest achievement may be her ability to reach people of various disabilities through public speaking because she has struggled to work her way back into the mainstream of life after a spinal cord injury.

Dr. Rossetti was gracious enough to join us at MOBILE in June for an Independent Living class.  She shared her experiences, strength and hope in an effort to let people with disabilities know that many things are possible with a positive attitude and some hard work.  Her approach to the information created an open forum in which several people shared their disabilities and how some things in their have changed in a positive way as a direct result of their disabilities.

Two good examples of positive action after a disability came from individuals who attended the function “Just Like Riding a Bike,” which, by the way, is a phrase used by Dr. Rossetti while conversing with her Personal Assistant during a rough patch in her early days of rehabilitation.  The meaning behind this phrase is that we never really forget how to live, experience, and do.  These examples are important to me because of their simplicity, long-reaching effects and the humanization of our disabilities.

Ed Snively uses his blindness to serve as a mentor to other persons who are blind.  Personally, I was intrigued at how much Mr. Snively got out of the presentation, for he had to see with his ears.  He told me that Dr. Rossetti can be credited for that because her descriptive examples of the slide presentation were nothing short of sensitive to the needs of all the people in the room.

Helen Atkins opened up and shared how diabetes was the cause of her disability.  She had to have her left leg removed at the knee, leaving her to use a wheelchair.  While this amputation is not something she prefers in life, she puts a positive spin on her disability by showing the neighborhood kids what she affectionately refers to as her “stump.”  She explains to the children that some people are different in many ways in hopes that they will accept individuals for who they are and not what their disability is, because we are all just people in an imperfect world.  Could this be an example of advocacy through education?  I should have to think so.

The conversations were very intense, but in a most positive manner.  We touched on subjects such as work, family, social life and even intimate relationships.  However, we never lost focus on the fact that no matter what the disability, there is usually a way to overcome barriers in order to live independently.  The room had a very relaxed atmosphere, with people sharing details of their lives they probably would not ordinarily talk about.  I guess there truly is strength in numbers, and most definitely among peers.

As the presentation would down and the snacks and beverages were being emptied, it became apparent to me that we all had shared an experience that was powerful, educational and rewarding.  And all the while the casual atmosphere allowed the two hours to seem almost timeless.

Having had the pleasure of being with my peers in this setting while Dr. Rossetti gave her presentation, I was left wishing we had more time for conversation.  I feel I came away from this workshop with a sincere desire to better myself.  Dr. Rossetti gave us a simple guideline to set goals toward positive self-recovery.  She calls them “lessons to live by.”  Here are her five basic goals to be worked on daily:

• Do something new every day.
• Focus on a hopeful future, not on self-pity.
• Believe that the impossible just might be possible.
• Allow more time to get things done and be patient with yourself.
• To lower your stress, lower your expectation of other people.

From the reaction of those I spoke with after the presentation, it was apparent that Dr. Rossetti’s message was well received.

In summary, when we experience new things, we grow.  When we focus on hope, we have a positive edge on life.  When we believe that all things are possible, they just might be.  When we lower our expectations of others, life in general can be much easier and acceptable to us.  After all, this is about our actions and reactions to situations and surroundings that affect our daily life and which direction we choose to go living life with a disability.