When I saw Tara’s task for The Gallery this week was “Inspirational People” I was a tad overwhelmed as there are so many both past and present to choose from.  For instance, some of the people who personally inspire me are true philanthropists who spend their time chipping away at poverty and injustice or conservationists who spend tireless hours preserving our earth and wildlife even when the odds seem to be stacked staggeringly high against them.  

There are also a plethora of inventors or visionaries as they like to call them these days, writers, advocates, etc… who inspire and who we all in some way or another aspire to be.

Today however, I decided to think about a person close to my home and my heart who inspires me…

My daughter!

 Cliché I agree, but knowing what she’s been through and seeing her continue to persevere with a light in her eyes and a smile on her face is more than inspirational to me… it’s empowering.  

Meg has lived with a seizure disorder since she was a month of age.  She went through a period where she was well controlled, from kindergarten to just before the start of third grade, but recently started having them again. 

When you think of a seizure you probably think of a brain disorder that causes convulsions right?!  

Unless you’re familiar with Epilepsy or Seizure Disorders you probably don’t think of the  fatigue that follows, the headaches, the fear, the countless tests, hospital stays and doctor visits or the time away from school, teasing, and academic struggles a person who lives with the disorder may have to endure.

 Luckily Meg has a wonderful support system and her friends and school, thus far, has been very understanding.  Unfortunately, for others who live with Epilepsy or a seizure disorder that’s not always the case.

Did you know…

“Even in the twentieth century, some U.S. states had laws forbidding people with epilepsy to marry or become parents, and some states permitted sterilization?” 

Thankfully “To establish a clear and comprehensive prohibition of discrimination on the basis of disability, Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.”  (Epilepsy.com)

Meg continues to amaze me daily with the way she meets challenges head on and even when they overwhelm her she doesn’t give up!   Her personality is infectious and she seems to claim a little piece of every person’s heart she meets.  

Inspirational people? 

My daughter is one for sure…

 She inspires me to be better, to be kinder and to be much more patient and forgiving and to push myself to do things that sometimes feel impossible.  I love her with all my heart and I will continue to fight for her until I am able to stand proudly by her side while she advocates for herself.