Am I really handicap?

[semajh7]

LIFE IS ALL ABOUT PERCEPTION. WE ARE WHAT WE THINK WE ARE. I CHOOSE NOT TO CALL MYSELF HANDICAP BECAUSE WHAT I LACK IN MY ABILITY TO AMBULATE I MORE THAN MAKE UP FOR WITH MY INTELLECT, AMBITION, WILLPOWER, AND SENSE OF HUMANITY. WOULD WE CONSIDER SOMEONE WHO LACKS AMBITION HANDICAP? HOW ABOUT A PERSON WHO LACKS COMMON SENSE? MOREOVER, WOULD YOU CONSIDER A PERSON WHO LACKS THE CAPACITY TO FORGIVE AS HANDICAP. THE STATE OF BEING HANDICAP IS IN THE EYES OF THE BEHOLDER. ONE OF THE BEST PIECES OF ADVICE GIVEN TO ME WHEN I WAS FIRST INJURED WAS THAT I SHOULD LOOK AT MY INJURY AS AN OPPORTUNITY, AND THAT I SHOULD LOOK AT MY CURRENT SITUATION AS AN ADVENTURE. I TRULY TOOK THAT ADVICE TO HEART. IN 4 1/2 YEARS I HAVE HAD VERY FEW "DEPRESSED DAYS". BEING PARALYZED IS NO EASY TASK BUT OUR MINDS ARE NOT PARALYZED. I WAS IN A NURSING HOME/REHAB CENTER FOR 2 YEARS FOLLOWING MY INJURIES. INSIDE THIS NURSING HOME/ REHAB CENTER THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF YOUNG GUYS LIKE MYSELF WHO HAD SCI's. WE WERE ALL FOR THE MOST PART COMPLACENT AND COMFORTABLE WITH LIVING THERE AT THAT FACILITY BECAUSE WE HAD EACH OTHER. AFTER A WHILE, EVEN THOUGH I HAD EVERY THING I COULD OF WANTED THERE AT THAT FACILITY(INCLUDING SEVERAL GIRLFRIENDS), I DECIDED THAT I WANTED MORE OUT OF LIFE. I LEFT MY COMFORT ZONE AND MOVED FROM NEW YORK TO FLORIDA, GOT MY OWN PLACE, AND ENROLLED INTO FILM SCHOOL. I'M CURRENTLY ON PACE TO GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE IN JULY WITH MY BACHELORS DEGREE AND HAVE MY EYES ON MY MASTERS. I WROTE A SCREENPLAY THAT I'M CURRENTLY SHOPPING, AROUND TO SELL TO A STUDIO(HOPEFULLY LIONSGATE) AND IM HALFWAY THROUGH MY NEXT SCREENPLAY. MY GOAL IS TO BE A FILMMAKER SO I CAN HAVE A PLATFORM WHERE I CAN REACH THE MASSES AND EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT DETERMINATION AND PERSEVERANCE CAN LEAD TO. I SAY ALL THIS TO SAY THAT YOU CAN TRAP MY BODY BUT NEVER MY MIND, AND THAT A STRONG WILL, WILL CONQUER ALL. SO AGAIN
I ASK YOU"AM I REALLY HANDICAP"