Take The F&*KING Stairs!

As the title preceeds itself, this post is going to address an issue that many people in chairs have to deal with, amongst MANY other challenges. With also the hope of educating people about a hidden talent their body possesses and that they should use more often.....

*drum roll please*

This talent is called walking up the STAIRS.

Before I was injured, sure I took the elevator every once in awhile but to be quite honest they've always freaked me out. I guess the fear of getting stuck in one always gave me the 'heebie jeebies.'

But when life throws you a curveball, or a series of curveballs in my case, I was forced to start taking the elevator. Since I'm not exactly able to ride up an escalator yet (but hey never say never!) I HAVE to take it when I need to get up a level or two. It has taken a little bit of heavy breathing here and there but I manage to get up an elevator without raising my blood pressure or having a mild panic attack, haha.

So sure I've seen my fair share of people using the elevator that most definitely could of used the stairs. But hey you never know what kind of day that person is having, I'm the first one who could tell you that. So usually I keep my mouth shut about asking why they are hogging my elevator much needed air and body space when they could be easily walking up a flight of stairs to their destination? But yet, day in and day out, I let it go.

It wasn't until I started school at USC, that I started to notice all the kids packing in a tiny elevator instead of walking up a flight or two of stairs. Then it really started to make my blood boil. There would be so many times I'd be forced to be in an elevator with these able bodied kids just wishing I could say, "DO YOU EVEN UNDERSTAND HOW LUCKY YOU ARE TO STAND AND WALK ON TWO FEET!?" "I'D LITERALLY JUMP OFF A BUILDING, IF I COULD LAND IT AND RUN AWAY RIGHT NOW!" But I have to hold my tongue so many times. Because I was once like them, not really understanding the lives of people who use wheelchairs to get around. I was just concerned with going about my day not even thinking twice that maybe I should just run up the stairs to leave more room for that person in a power wheelchair in the elevator.

Since, I never had someone like me to tell someone like you this kind of information, I wouldn't expect/look at you any less if you were one of those people in the elevator. Like I stated before, we all have our days. Here's the difference, your days are on two FEET and mine are on two WHEELS.

So lets make your life a little healthier and wheelchair users lives a little more convenient by.....

YOU TAKING THE F&*KING STAIRS!

Pass it on.

Xoxo,

A Guy's Girl