Invisible Disability now visible, thanks Sam

Dear Sam

I hope you get to read this, or get your mum to read it to you. 

Sam you have done something that I have not been able to do, until I read your poem and that is admit that you are different to others, some call it a disability, we know it is not don't we.

You see like you I find many things hard to do. I can't ride a bike, swim, do P.E. or drive car, although my wife says I am pretty good at driving her mad! It might not seem it, but sometimes I find it hard to walk and I have a stick to help me.  I was bullied at school and called Jerk, because I have tremors and even now some unkind people mention it and I get really upset. Sometimes I have great big melt downs when I just can't cope with things. I don't like bright lights or loud sounds and most times I don't like large crowds, even with people I know.

I know you have a talent and love for dancing. My love is for words, I really love words and tend to write a lot. I love writing poems mostly, because then I can use words I like how I like to use them. Words make life sense to me when nothing else does. Yet even here I was bullied and even now some unkind people hurt me by correcting me, rather than understanding that I can't always get things right because I don't see them as being wrong.

I love reading and history, because no one can touch me when I am reading and I am just the same as others not different. 

You've been luckier than I was when I was your age, back then unless you had something to show that you were different like a wheel chair, no-one understood or cared to ask why you were finding things hard. Sometimes they would think you were just being lazy or had mental health problems, not that you had a disability which you couldn't explian.

Now you and I are alike in that we have people that love us and just accept us as being us which is great, because apart from cats who else can?

So when I read your poem, I though, Fuck it (mum might this word ) If Sam is brave enough, then why can't I be brave enough as well. So I got a Sunflower Lanyard and one for my wife to wear (as my carer)to tell the world when I go out that I have an invisible disability and I am not afraid to say so nor afraid to say I might need some help in coping.  So after all this time, yes I am right old now I have come out un afraid, because I thought, If Sam can do it then so can I. 

I told you I liked words, I like the spell checker even more as it means most words are good so this is a bit long.

So thank you Sam, my friend, from your visible friend Kev