A Whole Woman
J. Antonio Rodríguez Carreon
BEFORE YOU READ:
1. What is a prosthesis?
2. What are qualities? What qualities do you look for in a person?
Many Beautiful Qualities
“Oh, she is really pretty!” I thought when I saw my new co-worker. As the days went by, I became more interested in her. She was determined, cheerful, gentle, and had many other beautiful qualities.
A Unique Way of Walking
One day, I decided to invite her for a walk. She accepted! Over time, our walks continued. Her way of walking was very unique. I asked her friends about it. I found out that she used a prosthesis due to a birth defect. She had a problem with one leg. The doctors had to amputate one leg above the knee.
The Big Question
We continued dating until one day, I decided to ask her the big question: “Do you want to be my girlfriend? I have found in you everything I was looking for. You are a whole woman.”
She responded, “A whole woman?” “Yes,” I said. “A whole woman!”
We looked into each other’s eyes and laughed.
A year later, we got married. We had three beautiful children. Our marriage, like many others, had ups and downs.
A Question That Surprised Me
Some years later, we met a young couple. In a private moment, they asked me, “How long had you been married to your wife when the accident happened?”
The question surprised me. They assumed my wife had an accident after we were married. They thought I would never marry someone who already had a disability. I realized that most people think that living with someone with a disability is an accident and cannot be a free choice!
Yes, this life is hard, but it is not a curse. With the support of others, it is more bearable. A cross carried by many weighs less!
Why not recognize ourselves as individuals with imperfections? Why not recognize ourselves as people with disabilities, which we all have to a greater or lesser degree? Disabilities are part of being human.
After 40 years of marriage to a disabled person, I can say for sure, “She is
a whole woman. I love Lore!”
AFTER YOU READ:
1. Why did the author choose the title, “A Whole Woman”?
2. What do you think of the author’s statement that we all have disabilities to a greater or lesser degree?
Antonio Rodríguez Carreon is a student at Ysleta Community Learning Center in El Paso, Texas. He has been living for two years in a new city, a new country, and a new world. He’s struggling every day to make his dreams come true. This is his second article for The Change Agent. The first was published on p. 3 of Issue 63. The Title is “We Need Rules” (see the box below).