One Breath Away

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Processing

Words on a page seem like nothing to my brain

as the thoughts from all around

keep changing colors

 

even when I can hear the sound of my breath

it takes a minute for words to show their purpose

in my head

 

cause paper was meant to hold the thoughts

of a mind just trying to write it all down

before the idea melts away

 

so, as I read this page

I need to think about what the purpose was

for the words?

 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

 

I created this note in Luke's dream because it is to show his mind processing while reading a page. I found this important because I don't think enough people really get what it's like to learn differently. To have to re-read a page over and over again to see what the author was trying to say. In school, I remember how much I hated reading passages because I always wanted to know the questions first to prepare for what I should be looking for while reading. Even when I flipped ahead I had to refer to the questions multiple times while keeping in mind the passage.

Over time I got better, but it wasn't easy. It was especially challenging when people started talking while it was time to do work. I had to try to shut out their words and focus on the words in front of my eyes. I still don't know how people can listen to music while doing homework, because having words in your ear makes things a challenge when you have dyslexia and ADHD. I know the other learning disabilities had it difficult it is just harder for me to talk about them because I do not know what it is like to be in their shoes. I can imagine, but I know for certain as every person is different... and that is what is amazing to me. When talking to people I get to see how reading a passage can be interpreted in so many ways.

 

Even though my book goes into brief detail about what it is like to learn differently I did this on purpose to show people that learning differently does not define you. People are not their disorder and even though it may feel like it, I want people to say "I am a boy/girl/they/them with _______ disorder." I don't want people to say "I am a _______ boy/girl/they/them." In the blanks, you would fill in the disorder such as saying, "I am a girl with dyslexia."