at seventeen

I am inspired today by the song “at seventeen” by Janis Ian. I chose this for my title as I feel that was a time in my life where I can share a lot with my readers. My friend my personal care attendant at the time had moved back across the country. I was heartbroken because a dear friend had moved but in part because I hate change and at this time this change felt catastrophic. I had grown used to the ability of getting out twice a week a time which allowed us to grow to become extremely close friends over the three years. She became the confidant that my young adolescent, awkward, self conscious spirit needed.

She left when I was fifteen or sixteen and my life as I knew it changed. No more getting out twice a week now it was once every two weeks. I found myself keenly aware during the last few years of high school and college that I hated being home alone on Friday nights. I wasn’t alone, my parents were here but seriously what teenager wants to be home weekend after weekend. I was never invited out, my peers with cars (or mom and dad’s car) never thought to include me in there events I think this is because they didn’t know how to accommodate the transportation of me and my chair. They didn’t think to ask me if I could figure out my own transportation, something I was fully prepared to do if invited out. I’d have people over to help alleviate this, but it wasn’t the same.

To deal with the loneliness, I through myself into the online world; the website that changed my life for the better in this way was ability online. Like minded people and youth really helped pull me out of the dark moments and put a smile on my face.

edited and reposted Dec 17 to include the links

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