Over the weekend I was talking to a friend of mine and she asked me an interesting question. “What’s the first thing you do when you come outside?” I told her that when I go outside, the first thing I do is look up at the sky.
Why is that the first thing I do? Well I spend most of my time indoors and while I’m indoors I feel closed in, like I’m suffocating. I feel that I have no space to be free and move around the way I want to. When I’m in my house I have to navigate through tight spaces just to get around and is frustrating (at times).
When I roll outside for the first time I pause and I look up at the sky no matter if it’s sunny or dark and gloomy. I take that pause for a few seconds to take in my surrounds, to get fresh air in my lungs and prepare myself for whatever comes my way.
Let me tell you, when I step outside I feel liberated, I feel like I’m free. Being able to go outside means that I can have fun and be adventurous and experience life. That’s one of the reasons why I put together The Wheelchair Chronicles so that the world can see what I see when I ride outside. I want people to see the total freedom I have when I’m riding in my wheelchair. I want people to see the joy I have being able to ride around the streets of Chicago.
When I look to the sky, I’m grateful that I get to see another day and to get a chance to do something new. When I look to the sky it gives me hope.
Justin's Wheelchair Chronicles 