The Doors That Opened When I Chose to Believe

Closing Disability Pride Month

As Disability Pride Month comes to an end, I’ve found myself reflecting on the journey that brought me here.

This month, I’ve written about disability history.

I’ve reflected on the meaning of the Disability Pride Flag.

I’ve shared stories about growing up with cerebral palsy, the barriers I’ve faced, and the lessons I’ve learned along the way.

But if there is one thing I hope people take away from everything I’ve shared, it’s this:

My disability was never the end of my story.

For many years, I believed there were doors that would never open for me.

I thought my disability would determine how far I could go.

I was afraid to dream too big because I didn’t want to be disappointed.

Looking back now, I realize that many of those doors were never locked.

I was simply afraid to reach for the handle.

Choosing to believe in myself changed everything.

Not overnight.

Not all at once.

One step at a time.

Every opportunity I have today began with one decision—to believe there could be more waiting for me than I had allowed myself to imagine.

When I moved into my own apartment, I didn’t know if I could do it.

When I began advocating, I wasn’t sure my voice mattered.

When I started writing, I never imagined my story would connect with people around the world.

When I accepted my disability instead of trying to hide from it, I discovered a community I had spent years avoiding—a community that showed me I was never alone.

Every one of those moments opened another door.

Living with cerebral palsy has never been easy.

There are still challenges.

There are still barriers.

There are still days when life feels heavy.

But I have learned that courage and perseverance are stronger than fear.

Those two words have carried me through every chapter of my life.

They remind me that I don’t have to know exactly where the path leads.

I only have to be willing to take the next step.

Looking back at this month, I’ve realized that Disability Pride isn’t something we celebrate only in July.

It lives in every person who refuses to give up.

It lives in every advocate who speaks up for change.

It lives in every person who asks for help when they need it.

It lives in every person who chooses to believe they belong, even when the world makes them question it.

That is the kind of pride I hope to carry with me every day of the year.

Disability Pride isn’t about pretending life with a disability is easy.

It isn’t about ignoring the challenges we face.

It’s about recognizing that our disabilities are part of our stories—not the limits of our stories.

Pride doesn’t mean I love every challenge.

Pride means I no longer hide from who I am.

It means I can look at my life with honesty and gratitude and say that every experience—the joyful moments, the painful ones, the victories, and the setbacks—has helped shape the woman I have become.

As July comes to an end, I know my journey doesn’t end here.

Advocacy doesn’t stop because the calendar changes.

Neither does growth.

Neither does hope.

Tomorrow begins another month.

Another chapter.

Another opportunity to keep opening doors—not only for myself, but for the people who will come after me.

If there is one thing this month has reminded me, it is this:

The greatest door that ever opened wasn’t the door to my apartment.

It wasn’t the door to a new opportunity.

It wasn’t even the door to advocacy.

The greatest door was the one I opened within myself when I finally chose to believe that I belonged.

That one decision changed everything.

And it continues to shape every step I take today.

Thank you for walking through this Disability Pride Month with me.

Whether you’ve been reading from the beginning or joined somewhere along the way, I hope these stories have helped you see disability not as a limitation, but as one part of a life filled with purpose, hope, resilience, and possibility.

Happy Disability Pride Month.

May we continue opening doors, challenging barriers, and believing that there is always another path waiting to be discovered.

— Marie W.O.W.C.P. ✌️😊❤️

Seeing the beauty between the challenges. 🌻💛