Skip to main content

A Generous Culture

Living with a disability I have seen the inherent generous culture that exists in humanity. I would not be the person I am today without it.
I recently heard someone say that bad things make the news because they shock us and are not in line with our true humanity. I completely agree with this statement.
Every age, background, sex, race and religion of people have generously dropped money into my busking basket. People from every continent on this earth have helped me in a thousand small ways in my life.
Some might say that I am naive but I am always ready to protect myself from anyone who tries to take advantage of me in any way. However, the generosity I have seen with my own eyes cannot be denied.
It is important to note that every spiritual leader and tradition throughout history has tried to teach us the generous nature that exists inside every human being.
"Whether you agree or disagree just ponder"
Chris Van Ingen

Comments

  1. Georgia WalkerMay 7, 2015 at 4:26 PM

    Hi Chris!

    I am Georgia Walker from Clonard College that came to your talk today at St Josephs College Geelong. I would just like to say that you are an amazing person. You have an unbelievable outlook on life, despite your disability. You are a great motivational speaker and I believe others should look up to you as a fantastic role model, as I will now look up to you. Keep up the beautiful work :)
    Thanking you,
    Georgia Walker
    Clonard College Geelong
    Email: walkg@clonard.catholic.edu.au

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Defend Our NDIS

 Defend our NDIS; people have had enough of cuts and changes to the NDIS. The Every Australian Counts campaign has organised a national day of action and events across Australia to take place on 28th of April.  I have been involved in the NDIS from the initial trial phase through to today. People may remember that I was involved in an advertising campaign spruiking the benefits to come once the scheme was up and running.  ‘You’re in charge! Yes we are, aren’t we!’ For awhile this was the truth for participants like myself. I have been very lucky and received 90 percent of what I need from NDIS.  The question is would I have received the same benefits if I was not a skilled disability advocate?  People with disabilities want the original version of the scheme that was promised without having to fight for a reasonable request. It would be a more efficient scheme if the government put the millions of dollars in legal fees into service delivery instead.  Accord...
3 comments
Read more

Throw Out The Label Maker

Through a lot of self-refection over the last few weeks I’ve come to believe it’s time to throw out the label maker before all the labels cover up our humanity. I use to think labels were cool, signs of what we’re meant to be, until those words turned to weapons pointed at me. Spastic, special disabled even retard these are the labels that at one time or another made my life hell. Cousin, aunty uncle, mother, father; where I come in the family tree the energy I share with the world  is unique and impossible for a label to  define. Chink , abo, wog and rag head; I don’t know why we can’t just see each other as people? Gorgeous, sexy, ugly, disgusting, fat and skinny but I want to know why I’ve never seen a picture of a guy or girl in a wheelchair with the caption Heartthrob. We need to recognise all beauty. Success, failure, dumb or genius, normal to eccentric these days all labels do is turn society into us and them. Christian, Muslim, Buddhist are al...
2 comments
Read more

One in Five

Today on the day of International Day of People with Disabilities I had a wake up call as to why a day like today is important. At the shop today, I was confronted by a man ranting and raving. My initial reaction was to call the police, but my disability training kicked in. I went over and asked his mum if he had autism. So, yes, we do need days like this. However, there is a flip side in my brain as well. I want to be seen as just a normal person. That argument that has been going on in my head all day inspired the following poetic thought. ONE IN FIVE One in five of the population have a disability, but I am not a fraction, I am a whole. The International Day of Disabilities is great, but cannot give an insight to my soul. Can a liberal society live with disability, is a question that the ignorant raise. We don’t need special days. Instead of focusing on disability, we should have an international day of ability. I put on a royal robe of red in an attempt to transf...
1 comment
Read more