I am very excited to begin my new speaking keynote and blog, Navigating a Two-Handed World…Single-Handedly. Back in 1998 I was working for the Phoenix Theatre for Children in Columbus, OH. I would tell these stories of my life growing up with one-hand and of my hilarious and entertaining family. The artistic director suggested I take these stories and write a one-person play. It took a few years but I created my first solo play, The Quest and began a journey that has led me to this moment.
Over the past 12 years I have created three solo plays and began using aspects of my solo performance to create a speaking keynote that is innovative, entertaining and encouraging. I wanted to find a way to tell my story in a way that allows an audience to find their own way of connecting to the themes of overcoming limitations and not allowing circumstances to define our humanity. I have always seen my life’s journey as a quest, one of my favorite quotes is from American educational philosopher Maxine Greene, “It has been said that if we as individuals are to determine what our relationship is to some idea of good, we must inescapably understand our live in narrative form, as a ‘quest’.”
As I thought about my life and my journey, I started to think of all the ways I’ve adapted to situations that presented themselves. There were not many situations that were specifically “one-handed” in nature. I always had to find my way in a world of two-handed people. Whether it was simply keeping my small hand in my pocket so no one would notice or making a joke to ease uncertainty in others, I was always navigating my way in a world that saw me as different or looked at my missing hand as a limitation.
Many of us face limitations, limitations we put on ourselves or limitations put onto us by others but I believe those limitations do not define us! I believe in a “flip-side” of limitation. I’m never going to have two hands but that does not define the core of who I am. I adapt, I adjust, I figure out a way to do any task I set out to accomplish. All of us can choose to not be defined by limitations or circumstances. We can learn to navigate the ups and downs of our worlds with dignity and purpose.
I hope I get to share my story with you sometime soon. I am looking forward to continuing my work educating, entertaining, and encouraging audiences around the world to live their lives to the fullest and not allow circumstance, whatever they are, to peel away the core of their humanity!
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