by ASHLEIGH MUTIMER
Last week sucked. I was feeling really down and all the ice cream and cuddles in the world weren’t helping.
But then I caught up with one of my more practical and level-headed friends and he gave me some great advice.
He said “You know Ash, that really does suck. And I don’t want to go all “this too shall pass” on you…but worse things have happened to better people. So you know, chin up.”
That advice came complete with one of those awkward, man-friend squeeze of the shoulders. Don’t you just love men?
But the advice was sound. And like always, he was right.
Far better people than me have had much worse things happen to them and they don’t sit around feeling all glum and rubbish. No, they take those lemons the world has given them and make lemonade. Or cut them up for use in tequila shots. Either way – they don’t let stuff get them down.
One of those people is 11 year old Gabriel Muniz.
Like most kids in Europe (let alone Rio de Janeiro), Gabriel is soccer mad. And like most boys his age he only wants to be a star player when he grows up. There is no alternative career option. No plan B.
Luckily for Gabriel he’s really good at it. So darn good that he has won over Barcelona talent scouts and landed a spot at a summer training camp in Spain. So what’s so awe-inspiring about this kid? Besides only being 11 years old and wowing talent scouts?
Well, he was born with no feet. Yep, no feet and is STILL talented enough for those picky talent scouts.
As if that wasn’t enough he is devoting his time and energy trying to make soccer a paralympic sport. Oh and you know, going to school. Kinda puts those first world problems into perspective doesn’t it?
What was the last thing that happened to you that put your problems in perspective?
Comments
15 Comments so far
Rio is not in Europe.
loading...
I noticed that too…but I just put it down to me not reading the sentence correctly. They might speak Portuguese, but Rio is definitely not in Europe!
loading...
The difference between this, and inspiration porn, as I see it, is that this kid is doing inspirational stuff by making it this far, whether he had feet or not. He is a very talented young soccer star. Full stop. His work to make soccer a paralympic sport is also worthy of recognition. This boy has clearly worked very hard to get where he is. I would be happy to use him to inspire my son to get outside and practice!
I think, and of course you’d have to ask Stella to know, that she objects to the whole glorification of people with disabilities who are doing normal things, like when she gets cheers for simply for being on a train “oh you are so courageous” – that kind of yuck. I think she’d be happy for people to find her as an inspirational comedienne, because she is genuinely exceptional at that.
loading...
Absolutely brilliant, as amatter of fact GOLD :’)
loading...
I love reading inspirational stories of people who overcome all the odds and live life to the fullest. Reading that beautiful story on the army guy who lost his arms and legs and his girlfriend, now wife, who cared for him and piggybacked him around until his legs were made. I still think about them and their love for each other.
I also think of that single father ( sunday night programme) ,who looks after his son who has cerebral palsy and has never stopped believing he would one day walk, and he did.
loading...
Didn’t Stella go nuts about us being ‘inspired’ by the disabled? For me, it’s the parents of sick, dying and disabled children who put my troubles into perspective.
loading...
Hi Anon!
I remember that piece from Stella – it was amazing.
I understood her point to be that we should recognise everyone who achieves great things and this kid is – even compared with able-bodied kids – a great soccer player and he’s campaigning to have soccer made and Olympic sport.
We think that’s worthy of recognition and yes, we found the video inspiring. We all have different things that help us put our problems in perspective, this worked for Ashleigh – doesn’t mean it has to have that effect on everyone.
Have a lovely Saturday. Jamila
loading...
I apologise if I have mistaken the intent of Stella’s article but I got the impression this is exactly what she was talking about. That we use people with disabilities as ‘inspiration porn’ or ‘things to put our lives in perspective’ when this is just their daily reality. I think she especially referred to her disdain for when children in particular are used in these references. But hey, I could be wrong! Wouldn’t mind hearing Stella’s thoughts….
Also, the article says he’s trying to make it a Paralympic sport, pretty sure it’s already in the Olympics!
loading...
Ooops, just realised that I am referring to the article that one of the commenters linked to after reading the article by Stella that you are referring to on MM….my bad! FYI this is the link to the article I am talking about
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-07-03/young-inspiration-porn/4107006
loading...
I don’t think you have, Mez, that’s exactly what I got from Stella’s article too.
loading...
I was thinking exactly the same thing when I read this Anonymous, about Stella’s article!
loading...
I loved the video. I can’t believe how agile he is with no feet! I guess it goes to show that when they know no different, they can achieve the unexpected.
I do, however, have an issue with people telling me to ‘put my problems in perspective’. I hate to say, Ashleigh, that if your friend was my friend, I possibly would have punched him for saying such a thing.
My problems are my problems. They are relative. Just because someone else has suffered more shouldn’t discount the experience. It’s like saying you shouldn’t feel happy about getting married because millions of others have done it as well, and possibly, their wedding was better, anyway. We just wouldn’t do that!
Like many others, I have had my share of clinical depression. My main problem is not the depression, it is the sheer guilt associated with being depressed when ‘others have it worse’, the guilt of knowing you have nothing to be depressed about.
Sometimes, you have days where you just shouldn’t have got out of bed. That’s cool. We all do. But I’m going to be free to wallow in my own misery about it, because in my scale of relative crapness, perhaps that day ranked pretty crap.
But thank you for the video!
loading...
Rach that is so true.
It is all relative when you are drowning in it.
It’s not a competition on who’s shit is worse.
loading...
I do find a sense of momentary sense of calm/perspective in seeing stories about others doing it tough, or tougher. However, certainly nothing could make someone who is clinically depressed with a seemingly great life feel shittier than having the much less fortunate outdo them on the feel good stakes. I see that boy and think one thing – wow isnt he lucky – he is so happy. It is stigma, really, that shows that a disabled person with a great mental outlook is superior to a fully abled body person with depression. They are both afflictions, and I know which one I would take.
loading...
Totally agree…thankyou!
loading...