At our house we have a tradition of getting outside all day on Christmas. I had to use the wheelchair this week at times so I was in no shape for an all day trip. The girls left at six in the morning and got back at ten at night. On their was to the outer coast they stopped at " under the bridge " for a 5 gallon bucket of variolites. Good earth will understand. The rest of the day was spent birding and a very successful trip it was. Not to be outdone I took my walker and went to my favorite jade beach. I really over did it as I spent two and a half hours hounding on a very steep and unstable beach. I still have to sort my treasures but I saw lots of jade. Not a soul would speak to me at the beach with the exception of one quite old woman who was escorting her blind husband through the rock piles and driftwood. Disabled people don't have cooties, you can say hello without catching anything. In the wheelchair it is far worse, people are very rude and refuse to even acknowledge you are there so they often run into you , unappologetically. Making eye contact with people in a chair is appreciated and a nod or a hello is appreciated. If it helps motivate you remember that some of the folks in chairs have carry permits and have no intention of becoming victims. As they used to say , put yourself in other peoples shoes for a moment , it fosters understanding.
