I see on the news, a five-year-old girl is injured in a car accident. As a result, she becomes paralyzed from the waist down. The doctors say she will never walk again. This girl must spend the rest of her life confined to a wheel chair. The freedom to walk has been taken away from an innocent child.

When I stop to think about this I realize how much I take for granted the use of my legs. I remember how much I enjoy walking along a beach with warm, wet sand squishing through my toes. I realize how much it means to me playing sports for my school and being part of a team. How different my life would be if I would not be able to go hiking through the woods or go swimming and jumping off diving boards. I look back at the times when I was a child and hopped on my bike to ride into town or just ran around the neighborhood playing with my friends.

Many people who are paraplegic or have physical disabilities will never have these opportunities. Every day of their lives they must face struggles. Simple things I do routinely every day, like getting out of bed in the morning and getting dressed, would be a challenge for the physically impaired. What would it be like if I had to wheel myself from class to class, instead of walking freely through the halls.

I think the worst part of being physically disabled must be, sad but true, the staring, the teasing, and being made fun of. Not everyone would be so cruel, but cruelty does happen.

If I could give away freedom, I would give the freedom of movement to all people who are paralyzed in some way. I would give it to people in this condition so they could enjoy all the things other humans can enjoy. Some people are born with disabilities, and others dreadfully obtain them during their lives. Some of these disabilities can be cured, but many can’t be. I think this is unfair and everyone should be given the same opportunities in life.

Why should someone be denied the freedom to run? Why should someone be denied the freedom to swing a baseball bat? Physically challenged people should have the right to do all the things healthy humans do, and if I had the ability to give away this freedom, I would. I don’t think we pay enough attention to handicapped people. They get a guaranteed front row parking space and an extra large stall in a public restroom but I doubt it really matters to them. If I could give away freedom, I would give handicapped people the freedom to be healthy again.