Not giving way to adversity

Disability is a term we use to describe people who have perhaps lost their sight, an arm or a leg, we say they are disabled when compared to ordinary people, we imply that ordinary folk are more able. 

You would think this a reasonable assumption, people with impaired sight have many extra hurdles to get over when they cross a room or a road and much of what we take for granted is to the unsighted person a maze of complications. Having only one leg or one arm means the many of the places and exercises they might like to visit and do would be impossible or at least very difficult. 

I have just finished watching the Paralympics skiing finals at Sochi and I feel truly humbled watching the disabled athletes hurtle down the slopes at breakneck speed. 

First it was someone with one leg on a single ski swishing left and right through the gates at a speed that seemed every bit as fast as a normal person. I use the word normal in the sense that they would describe themselves normal whilst I think they are crazy to skim over ice and snow apparently so close to losing control, being on a knife edge of success and disaster, a line crossed far too easily. 

To do all this on one leg well, I was fascinated. The next person had not only one leg but, if this wasn't enough, she only had one arm !! Down she went at breakneck speed changing direction this way and that moving her weight to push the ski one way and another to negotiate the the gates.  

Disability not a bit of it just another example of the remarkable tenacity some humans have of reinventing themselves and not giving way to adversity.