Philtess, 42

Life is what you make it I am laid-back, easy-going, and spontaneous. I do what I want when I want all the time and in between that I try to get some real stuff accomplished, but not really. Since I was 13, I've been severely hard of hearing or semi-deaf. Through half of middle school and high school I had to wear a big hearing aid so I know how cruel people can be about disability, but I've learned to channel that anger into joy. I treat everything like it's my last because life really isn't that serious. My disability doesn't limit me at all, except certain jobs, but I feel it's right to acknowledge it and embrace it. To me the only time it really matters if you're disabled is trying to work because more than likely the employees are going to make me feel out of place. But work's not fun, but life is and that's the only thing that really counts is the extracurricular things you do to make your life meaningful. I'm not completely happy right now, but I know it's possible because I see life clearly now and I'm not lost anymore. Just need to be patient and keep working at my pursuit of happiness.