Sister Tom and the curb cut-outs
I have spent a lot of time the last year talking about, discussing, contemplating various people's mark's on the world. I can look at my children particularly with Teagan and I can already see it. I can see the corners that she has reached, cobwebs her life has gingerly brushed off of hopeless hearts. I see my friends who have taken unspeakable tragedy and a bunch of bikers and use it to provide a little solace for families in their darkest days. I see my friends who love me and my family even when it feels I am sure like we are kind of flaky and unreliable, but have no idea that their faithfulness to us, is what keeps us moving forward on days I don't feel I can. I see all of this. These people are my life. My day in day out, our nurses, our doctors, our family. I take one look at my kids and our life and I see it.
I was struck recently however by a very humbling reality of the people I don't see. The impacts that it never occurred to me to be thankful for. Those people that have changed my life and I didn't even know about it. I discovered one such person recently and it has driven me to be thankful for, are you ready for this....a curb. To be more specific, a curb cut out. Hang with me for a moment.
When I was a very little girl my dad and his brothers were discussing the story of my aunt and uncles wedding. While there were many non traditional aspects to it the, one that I understood the most (even though at the time I really didn't) and found the most delight in was my aunts maid of honor, her best friend Tom. You can imagine for a little girl growing up in the 90's hearing my aunt had a male maid of honor was not something you hear everyday and from that day forth I have affectionately named him sister Tom. I have spent scarce amounts of time around Tom over my life but the few moments I have gotten to share with him, I have found him to be a dear, brilliant man and would consider him a sweet, albeit distant part of my childhood. In a recent visit with my uncle I was grieved to discover that Tom is very ill and in desperate need of a transplant. And for whatever reason I have yet to be able to shake I began thinking about and looking more in depth into Tom's life work.
You see for more than 30 years Tom has championed disability rights as a photographer. And by championed I do me championed. He has photographed ever step in the fight for disability rights from the 70's when the idea was that the severely disabled should be kept hidden and away, up until today. The further and further, I have read and dug, I read stories about Tom trying to find a theater to take a friend to and only finding 1 that left them in them in back corner struggling to get in and out, to trying to go for a walk with a friend in a wheelchair and when they got to the edge of the curb there was no cut out, no ramp. There weren't playgrounds for kids who struggled with stairs, or were bound to a chair, their option was to sit and watch or stay home. Schools were not designed where all children could be given the opportunity to learn. I recently talked with a friend about the stigma surrounding her mothers decision 40 years ago to not institutionalize her sister, because our culture wasn't designed for girls like her. Tom saw a need and he found a way to fight. He fought behind a lense of a camera and his life has had a profound impact on the world. More to the point of all of this Tom has had a profound impact on my world and I am just now recognizing it.
Tom and I, I am sure have differing political views. I don't run into him in the grocery store, I don't see him in the halls at church or my gym. Honestly the last time I had a conversation with him was over 15 years ago and I look at my girls and I can see how God used Tom to create a world where ALL my children can grow and learn. Where my two youngest are not written off as a waste of space or an inconvenience on society. Tom and men and women like him have been used in a mighty way that up until recently I had not seriously thought about.
I wonder how many times we get so focused on our own life, that we fail to see the monumental impact the most unexpected people have on us. How many times have we on both sides of the aisle become clouded by the differences in our beliefs that we fail to recognize and thank our holy God for all lives he has created even the ones different than ours. Our differences are an amazing thing. God created each and everyone of us unique and with a unique heart and passion. It is our job in this world to take what God has given us and make the most of every opportunity, but I pray we can also remember to stop and thank God for those people who He has used to impact us even in the most unsuspecting ways. Thankfulness should not be limited to just the things and people that fit in our immediate world. I think we would all find more compassion and grace when we find ways to stop and thank God for the things and people that exists outside of our box, to love all people the way that God called us to and loves us. Not loving with roadblocks, but loving all lives God created and thanking Him for the way those people have been used to grow and shape us into who God has called us to be.
I may never have another conversation with him, but long has He lives I can assure you I will be thanking God for the life of Tom Olin. For the way he fought to change people ideas about disability and what a profound role all people have to play in our world. The way he made sure people knew that simply widening an aisle or putting a ramp in could be literally life changing for someone and equip them to better impact that world. So tonight when I pray over my babies I am praying for and thanking God for Tom Olin and for curb cut outs.
1Thessalonians 5:15-18
I was struck recently however by a very humbling reality of the people I don't see. The impacts that it never occurred to me to be thankful for. Those people that have changed my life and I didn't even know about it. I discovered one such person recently and it has driven me to be thankful for, are you ready for this....a curb. To be more specific, a curb cut out. Hang with me for a moment.
When I was a very little girl my dad and his brothers were discussing the story of my aunt and uncles wedding. While there were many non traditional aspects to it the, one that I understood the most (even though at the time I really didn't) and found the most delight in was my aunts maid of honor, her best friend Tom. You can imagine for a little girl growing up in the 90's hearing my aunt had a male maid of honor was not something you hear everyday and from that day forth I have affectionately named him sister Tom. I have spent scarce amounts of time around Tom over my life but the few moments I have gotten to share with him, I have found him to be a dear, brilliant man and would consider him a sweet, albeit distant part of my childhood. In a recent visit with my uncle I was grieved to discover that Tom is very ill and in desperate need of a transplant. And for whatever reason I have yet to be able to shake I began thinking about and looking more in depth into Tom's life work.
You see for more than 30 years Tom has championed disability rights as a photographer. And by championed I do me championed. He has photographed ever step in the fight for disability rights from the 70's when the idea was that the severely disabled should be kept hidden and away, up until today. The further and further, I have read and dug, I read stories about Tom trying to find a theater to take a friend to and only finding 1 that left them in them in back corner struggling to get in and out, to trying to go for a walk with a friend in a wheelchair and when they got to the edge of the curb there was no cut out, no ramp. There weren't playgrounds for kids who struggled with stairs, or were bound to a chair, their option was to sit and watch or stay home. Schools were not designed where all children could be given the opportunity to learn. I recently talked with a friend about the stigma surrounding her mothers decision 40 years ago to not institutionalize her sister, because our culture wasn't designed for girls like her. Tom saw a need and he found a way to fight. He fought behind a lense of a camera and his life has had a profound impact on the world. More to the point of all of this Tom has had a profound impact on my world and I am just now recognizing it.
Tom and I, I am sure have differing political views. I don't run into him in the grocery store, I don't see him in the halls at church or my gym. Honestly the last time I had a conversation with him was over 15 years ago and I look at my girls and I can see how God used Tom to create a world where ALL my children can grow and learn. Where my two youngest are not written off as a waste of space or an inconvenience on society. Tom and men and women like him have been used in a mighty way that up until recently I had not seriously thought about.
I wonder how many times we get so focused on our own life, that we fail to see the monumental impact the most unexpected people have on us. How many times have we on both sides of the aisle become clouded by the differences in our beliefs that we fail to recognize and thank our holy God for all lives he has created even the ones different than ours. Our differences are an amazing thing. God created each and everyone of us unique and with a unique heart and passion. It is our job in this world to take what God has given us and make the most of every opportunity, but I pray we can also remember to stop and thank God for those people who He has used to impact us even in the most unsuspecting ways. Thankfulness should not be limited to just the things and people that fit in our immediate world. I think we would all find more compassion and grace when we find ways to stop and thank God for the things and people that exists outside of our box, to love all people the way that God called us to and loves us. Not loving with roadblocks, but loving all lives God created and thanking Him for the way those people have been used to grow and shape us into who God has called us to be.
I may never have another conversation with him, but long has He lives I can assure you I will be thanking God for the life of Tom Olin. For the way he fought to change people ideas about disability and what a profound role all people have to play in our world. The way he made sure people knew that simply widening an aisle or putting a ramp in could be literally life changing for someone and equip them to better impact that world. So tonight when I pray over my babies I am praying for and thanking God for Tom Olin and for curb cut outs.
1Thessalonians 5:15-18
give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
curb with no ramp late 20th Century
Rally to get curb Ramps installed
Signing of the ADA(American Disabilities Act) 1989
All Photos by Tom Olin
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