I have lived with my cerebral palsy from a very young age, but I have learned to adapt to the situation. When I could no longer use my naturally dominant right hand, I learned to use my left, and I even made good use of my head—literally. I adapted too much most of the time. Instead of seizing what therapy had to offer me, over the years I fought it, and slacked off, and quit.
Last year, I began to do something about my situation. If I had use of both my hands, I could achieve so much more. I know it is a blessing to be able to do what I can even now, but why should I stay so limited when I don't have to? I started with exercising at home, and then went for OT sessions, which continued into this year. My insurance covered only six visits, and I have one left (as of right now).
I'm not doing the best with the exercising, but what I am doing benefits my hand. My hand wasn't as good in the beginning as it is now, but I didn't quit, and I have seen physical improvement as a result.
Proverbs 13:4 is true: "The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat."
If I hadn't seen any physical improvement, I would have at least improved my character by trying to do something worthwhile, and that's the better part of all of this. Character, just like mobility and strength, isn't gotten by sitting around and doing nothing. God sends us experiences which will perfect our characters if we let Him teach us through them, and perhaps I haven't been miraculously healed before now because I would have ended up with a good body but not a good character. I know that able-bodied people have formed wonderful characters in the experiences they have gone through, but what if I was able-bodied all of a sudden and failed to do that in my new circumstances? God knows best; and this is the schoolroom He decided to give me. May I be diligent, because even here that verse is right. "The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat."
—Jean
