Once again, February arrives during a frigid winter as our thoughts are on two things: Valentine’s Day and the fact we will have a lot more sunlight and warmth at the end of this month. We all know sunlight is important for our health and certainly lifts our moods, but what about love? George Sand, a French novelist wrote: “There is only one happiness in this life, to love and be loved,” but I wonder if everyone finds this happiness.
I know for certain that I have loved many people for a number of reasons and the love has been reciprocated. Most of us experience love from our parents, families, and/or friends; and if we are lucky enough, we also experience the love of our own children and grandchildren. The love which is the most elusive is romantic love between two individuals and while some people are fortunate to find their soulmates others search endlessly.
The truth is, finding romantic love is even more difficult for individuals with disabilities. For an article at Easterseals.com. “Love, Dating, Relationships, and Disabilities,” people were asked: “Does it seem more difficult to find love if you have a disability? Many of our interviewees said that, at first, yes.” After reading stories about finding love told by individuals with disabilities, I have found a common thread: people with with disabilities need to be confident with who they are before others will accept them.
One young man with cerebral palsy, Chad Cunningham, found love, eventually married, and now has children. Before he started dating he said, “I realized that the biggest barrier to dating was attitude. He was so concerned about being defined by his disability, and judged for it, that he wasn’t being open about it. He decided to not be afraid to talk about his disability”1. Although it took him time to gain confidence, Chad was able to finally find his happiness.
Whether you are an individual with a disability or just someone unlucky in love, you should not give up on love. Instead of giving up, be like Chad and just be who you are because there is someone out there looking for someone just like you!
We at CORE wish you all a Happy Valentine’s Day and warm(er) sunny days ahead!
Footnotes
- Orhill, Jackie. “Breaking Past Fears of Dating”
