Kim Gaskill reflects on suddenly needing a wheelchair and the accessibility barriers she and friends encounter. She urges empathy and practical help, and shares a tip: choose hotels with automatic door buttons.
It's a new day. I'm Kim Gaskill and this is the Daily Spark. I hope you have never had the misfortune to need a wheelchair. I currently am in a wheelchair and I'm experiencing a lot of things that I knew were out there, but I really didn't know that they were out there until I've had to go through them myself. I have some good friends that are in wheelchairs and we've talked often about the struggles that they have just getting around to do normal activities that most of us take for granted. And until I was put into this situation, even though I know it exists and I have empathy for that, it's totally different when you're going through it yourself. And I find that with most things with You know, we, we want to understand what people are, are feeling. We want to have empathy. And sometimes, no matter how much we want to, we really don't understand. But what we can do is be there, be open, be aware, and be helpful in whatever way that you can, because that alone will help whatever struggle they're going through. On some level. And if you ever have to be in a wheelchair, try and pick a hotel that has the little buttons on the outside that open up the doors for you, because I'm telling you right now, that's pretty darn difficult to do, especially if the doors are heavy. Have a great day, and I'll catch you again tomorrow for another Daily Spark.
