Embracing life - Sister Toldjah

Tonight I watched a program on TLC about a woman who has functioned since she was two years old without legs. Her name is Rose Siggins. Her courage and strength was very inspiring.

Sometimes we think we have it so tough with our day to day problems, but this woman has overcome extraordinary odds to live a normal life doing the things she wants to do: getting married, having a family, she works on cars … She also takes care of her father, who is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s and her brother, who is an adult who has a child’s mind. And she complains about none of it. She’s someone who never lets the little things get her down. For that matter, she doesn’t let the big things get her down, either.

I checked the TLC website just now and the only other time I see the show about her broadcast is at 1 am Eastern Time (in less than two hours).

If you get a chance to watch it, please do. I’ll try and keep an eye out for when the program is broadcast again.

I found a good partial summary of what I saw on the TLC channel here. Here’s a snippet:

Rose has great moral strength and a remarkable attitude. She says “A lot of people with disabilities feel that life owes them something, and I was raised in a way that no, no-one owes you a dime. The world doesn’t owe you anything, this is what you have and you use your resources and you get through life. My personal opinion is, get up and go for it, just do it.”

Disabilities or not, that’s good advice for everyone, you know?

Donna says:

January 3, 2006 at 1:34 am

Something about this post reminds me of something Abraham Lincoln once said, “In the end it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”

Every person I’ve met that has a ‘disability’ has taught me the most about life. Most experience life with a deep appreciation and take little for granted.

…Their outlook on life amazes and inspires me.

sinister minister says:

January 3, 2006 at 4:01 am

The problem with this line of thought though is that those who used it in the early 1990’s came close to defeating the ADA, which is the main piece of domestic legislation that Bush I will be remembered for (and should be) and which has made it possible for disabled people like her to actually go through life without having to worry about things like whether they could go to the restroom or escape in case of a fire. That particular piece of government regulation has literally grown the world that disabled people live in so that it is the same as the world others live in, in nearly every way. I would agree that as of today, she IS right in her outlook.

How soon we forget though.

Baklava says:

January 3, 2006 at 10:04 am

Don’t worry sinister. I didn’t forget that Bush 1 signed the ADA.

Nor do I forget that lawyer’s are abusing ADA and costing tons in legal fees for lots of people.

Just like Unions, ADA and Unions were needed but could use reform.

Are you one of those extremists that can’t see that (as well as accuse people of forgetting)?

natasha gregg says:

May 6, 2006 at 9:06 am

my new hero is rose siggins, i watched her on discovery channell last night in ireland, i would love to be able to speak to that woman and shake her hand, what humility and courage. i feel so bad for moaning about day to day things and complaining about my kids. what a role model, i never thought about my mother dying before but seeing rose’s reaction it hit me like a sledgehammer suddenly i became very worried about my mum. that lady is the strongest character i have seen on tv in a long time…well done rose, i salute you for your honesty and strenght when faced with situations most of us would have caved in under.
natasha gregg,
ireland.