Being Accepted Just As I Am

This summer I went to three sleepaway camps. Going to sleepaway camp has been my favorite thing about summer. The special thing about all of my camps is that they are made for people like me.  

Acceptance is a common theme in all my camps. At camp, I am allowed to be my authentic self. I don’t have to worry about being judged. I don’t have to worry about being made fun of. Camp is a place where I feel free to come as I am.  

Have you ever been to a place, where you feel like you are at home? My answer is yes. I found that in Camp Fatima. For years, I have been going to Camp Fatima. This was my first experience of going to a sleep-away camp for a week. From the moment that you arrive at the campsite, you are provided with a warm welcome. Everywhere you go you feel love throughout the camp. Over the years, I had many great counselors who welcomed me with open arms.  

By the end of the week, my counselors and I formed a friendship that will never be broken.   This year was bittersweet because this year was my final year at Camp Fatima. Going to Camp Fatima has changed my life.  By attending camp, I realized I didn’t have to hide who I was. I could let the real me come out.   

I attend other camps just like Fatima. When I attended public school, I was the only student with a physical disability in my grade. When I went to camp, I saw people who looked like me.

I attend others sleepaway camps just like Fatima. What makes those camps so special is that I can relate to the campers. Having friends with the same disability as me is so inspiring. Recently, I just spent a week with adults who wears similar shoes as me. It was so nice sharing moments with people to whom I can relate. One night, we were sitting around a table just chatting about life. This moment was so uplifting to me. I have never been surrounded by a group of friends that I can be myself with. 

 Yes, I love and enjoy my bond with my non-disabled friends. However, there is something special about having a friend with challenges similar to mine. The connections I have are different from those I have with my friends without a disability. When I am around people like me, we can share testimonies about what it’s like to live with a disability.  

 Going to a camp like this is more than a camp to me. It is a safe space to come as you are. It is a safe space for you to forget for a moment, that you have a disability and just be a human being. At the end of the day, that is what we all are.  

As a result of going to camp, I have learned that I can be accepted for who I am regardless of my appearance. I don’t have to pretend to be something, that I am not. It has taught me that I can be seen for who I am.