The world can be hard, cold, and unjust sometimes please don’t let it turn you to the dark side. You have a light, unlike anything anyone has ever seen. Those sticks and stones may have left papercut scars on your soft heart, but your heart still yours and no one can take that from you. An open letter to those with soft hearts. You are not alone. We may be a rare breed, but we’re here living life with tender grace, and leather for skin just like you are. We’re a small club, but no less feisty or fearless. An…
Author: Jessica Niziolek
Jessica Niziolek
Jessica is a writer and founder of the blog, The Abler. She's a disability advocate and freelance writer for several platforms. She's also a poet, and aspiring YA novelist.
This July will mark the two-year anniversary of the beginning of what I considered to be my professional writing career. As most of you may or may not know, it all started with my desire to help my sister find answers, and resources after being diagnosed with a very serious, and life-altering neurological disease called cluster headaches. On July 30, 2016, I began writing my blog, The Abler Blog: Equality For The Disabled. Just shy of two years of being online, and The Abler has grown from a blog, to have it’s very own social media presence. With the newest…
For me, people have always assumed the reason for me being in a wheelchair was because of an accident. And whenever I spoke up the conversation stopped in its tracks. Like most girls I had insecurities, but my insecurities are once I could never hide from myself. I just remember wanting to fit in like everyone else. Especially, when I hit middle school. Up until that point, I felt like every other kid my age. I think the desire to fit in with your peers is equally just as important for a teen with a disability. Because that desire to…
Dear former me, I am sorry for all the hard lessons, and ignorance you had to endure. Our heart has taken some pretty tough head-on collisions. But the dents and calluses were all part of growing up. For every person that never made the cut, they were simply there to teach what Would wouldn’t need in our life. We have struggled, fallen, and always gotten back up. We continue to cry tears no one else understands. But we are stronger than ever before. We have this passion we turned into a purpose, timid no more. We have found our strength…
It is not unusual for people to challenge someone based on various reasons. But when you’re a person with a disability, and a woman to boot the odds and roadblocks are just that high and even more challenging because society tends to look at anything different from a very narrow scope. And it’s because of that narrow scope the layers upon layers of misconceptions that come with having a disability, in general, is not only wide and vast, but also very frustrating. I realize and understand that everyone’s reaction is not always negative. And some are generally curious. I appreciate…
Why I can not break up with my CP, I do wish we could go on a break from one another. Don’t take as if I haven’t accepted you I have. And as you know, You and I were in this thing called, life for the duration. I just wish I could break away from you just to see what it would be like to have my body move so fluidly like water, instead of struggling with a simple command to move. You are the partner in crime, that when we’re cuffed together sometimes the cuffs are too tight, and…
I am not one to watch sermons on a regular basis, but what Pastor Steven Furtick said about how we have this picture of how we think our life should go and doesn’t really hit home. I believe the big reason for this being such an issue for people is that because we’re a society that is only satisfied with instant results and because we all feel entitled. We are no longer believe putting in the work to achieve whatever dream or goal we have is worth it. What was it that was said about life? “If you want to…