On My Own Two
— Young Lee

I never considered myself high-strung or irritable until I entered a spa for the first time last weekend. The employees spoke in such hushed and relaxed tones that I felt hyperactive and tense by comparison.  I was there for a float therapy…

I last sat on my piano bench over a year ago. For most of the past year, I had been neglecting the bench’s original purpose by stacking library books and old notes on it. But a few days ago, I decided to clear it off, and ended up…

Is it wrong for me to say that I find Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) undesirable? Is it entirely due to internalized ableism when I say I wish I did not have CMT? When we talk about the problems…

I don’t like going to the gym. But, I like being at the gym. And I really love returning from the gym. I reconfirmed these facts last week. A few days ago, North Carolina relaxed some…

Thoughts and memories of recess games and gym classes rolled into my mind last week as I flipped through the pages of “The Ables,” a young adult novel by Jeremy Scott. It’s a story about a group of…

My paternal grandmother turned 97 this week. As much as I would have liked to be with her to celebrate her birthday, I’m trying to limit my in-person contact with the elderly during this chaotic time. But I’m glad my other family members and I were at least…

Although there are many words to describe the disabled experience, I’ve been thinking a lot about the word “wariness” this week. Many of us in the disabled community are indeed wary of many things. We go through great lengths to anticipate pitfalls, challenges, and risks in our everyday…

I was manning three active burners on the stovetop, deep into my food preparation for the week. On one of the front burners was a pan of chicken skins sizzling in a pool of rendered fat. In a pot to the side, onions, carrots, and celery were sweating…

A scene from the animated Nickelodeon show “Avatar: The Last Airbender” has been on my mind recently. It’s an exchange between a character named Iroh, an old and wise retired general, and his nephew, Zuko, a young and…

About a year ago, my sister and I went to an arts and crafts store. Upon entering, I instinctively wanted to steer the shopping cart, an offer my able-bodied friends and acquaintances often appreciate. But before I could get a complete sentence out of my mouth,…

“We’re all Forky, feeling like we’re trash, but we’re also all Woody, trying to convince each other that we’re not trash.” A friend of mine tweeted those words shortly after seeing “Toy Story 4” last year. At the time, I thought it was a cute and…

“TrumpWearsAdultDiapers”: It’s a hashtag I first noticed trending in the United States on the morning of June 14. And I remember looking at it with mixed emotions.  On one hand, I think it’s a small sign of progress toward…