For most of my life I often judged people for utilizing things that were designated for the disabled.

I would get angry or upset when I would have no reason to.

Then I understood that not all disabilities are visible.

For much of my life I was ashamed of admitting that I had disabilities.

I would just get through life not believing that I needed help or things because I was ‘disabled.’

Yet I have things like a Access Pass for the National Parks and other items as a result of the ADA.

I too often feared being judged for having an invisible disability and didn’t want to admit that I needed things that are for the disabled.

But as time went on and I have friends and family that have visible disabilities, I began to feel no shame I getting or using things that I needed under the ADA.

Just because my disabilities are not automatically visible doesn’t mean that I don’t need help in sometimes the same way that those with visible disabilities do.

I now respect anyone using facilities designated for the disabled and never rush into judgment about their usage of disabled spaces because it’s not my place to judge and there can be a day when any of us may be in a situation where we too will need to use disabled facilities.

As we celebrate the 35th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, I am truly grateful for it’s passage and couldn’t imagine how difficult life would be without it’s passage.

Thank you for the advocates past, present and future who made and continue to make the Americans with Disabilities Act a part of the United States of America