Celebrating, Value, Talent & Gabe's Birthday

October has been a busy month for me. Not that every month isn’t busy, but this one has been particularly so. I just completed the annual 180 mile Cycle To The Sea ride and in between the training for and the trip itself, I have been kept busy with the demands of multiple part time jobs. I usually write two blogs in October, one about NDEAM (National Disability Employment Awareness Month) and one about Gabe’s Birthday. This year, however, this disabled person is too busy being employed to do both, so I’m going to combine them.

Gabe is a Chesapeake Bay Retriever and the Chessie is considered a working breed. Spend five minutes with Gabe and you can see why. Just because he doesn’t retrieve ducks does not mean Gabe is without a job to do. He is always busy doing something, whether it's barking at the donkeys, keeping the squirrels out of the yard or running next to the van when I’m on my way to work, Gabe is always up to something.

Five years ago, when I got Gabe, the vet asked me why in the world I would get a Chessie. After all, they have boundless energy, they are stubborn as a mule and notoriously difficult to train. But that’s exactly what I wanted in a dog. One that sets a goal and goes after it with tenacity and a dog who when told to do something, would choose his own path. In short, I wanted a dog like me.

Living with a disability is not easy. It takes grit and determination just to make it through each day. You have to overcome obstacles that most people don’t even think about. For example, when I go to work as a sportswriter, I have to start planning well in advance to make sure the venue is accessible and to arrange a good place to meet coaches and players for an interview afterwards. When I go on lengthy business trips, such as the NCAA Tournament coming up in March, my handicapped accessible room is already booked or else it would be gone. An able-bodied journalist can just show up the day of the game or stay in a regular room, giving them more, and often cheaper options.

Some well-meaning people have suggested that I find a different type of work or even not work at all. But like Gabe, when I am told what I ought to do, it makes me even more determined to forge a different path and chase after my goals. I am planning a work and sightseeing trip to Liverpool, England to cover the Liverpool soccer team for one of the outlets I work for. It will probably take me two years to save up enough money and work through all the myriad of obstacles that come with traveling abroad when disabled, but I am determined to get there.

The theme for NDEAM 2026 is “Celebrating Value And Talent". This is a perfect slogan not only for people with disabilities in the work place, but for society in general. We all have value and God has given every single one of us talents to use. The way in which disabled people use those talents may look a bit different than our able-bodied counterparts, but that doesn’t matter. It doesn’t make that talent any less valuable than anyone else’s. Society will try to tell you that you can’t do this or shouldn’t do that, but if it’s your passion, be a Chessie and ignore when people tell you can’t and do it anyway. It will be hard and people may not understand why, but it will be worth it.

Thank you Gabe for 5 years of being my Spirit Animal and reminding me of these lessons on a daily basis. Thank you for the hugs, face washings and the encouragement to keep going when life is hard. Happy 5th Birthday to the Best Boy In The World and may we have many more years of wonderful adventures together.