Today, I did something that might seem incredibly small to someone else.
I asked a simple question:
“Can I get a hi?”
Five words.
That’s all.
But for me, those words took more courage than most people will ever understand.
Living with a disability has taught me that sometimes the hardest part isn’t the physical challenges. Sometimes, it’s the way people look at you. The assumptions they make. The awkward silence. The moments when you feel as though everyone notices what makes you different before they notice you.
I’ve had days when I wanted to disappear into the background.
I’ve wondered whether people were staring because they were curious, uncomfortable, or simply didn’t know what to say.
And, like anyone else, I’ve had moments when I just wanted to feel included.
Not treated like someone fragile.
Not treated like someone extraordinary just for getting through the day.
Just treated like a person.
So today, I decided to be brave.
I stood there, took a breath, and asked:
“Can I get a hi?”
It sounds so simple.
But behind those words was a much bigger message:
See me. Talk to me. Don’t be afraid of me.
I wasn’t asking for pity.
I wasn’t asking anyone to feel sorry for me.
I was asking for something every human being deserves—a little kindness and connection.
A “hi” can be incredibly powerful.
It can tell someone, I see you.
It can make a lonely person feel less alone.
It can turn an uncomfortable moment into a beautiful one.
And sometimes, the smallest gesture can stay with someone for a very long time.
People often talk about changing the world as if it requires something enormous.
But maybe it starts with something much smaller.
A smile.
A kind word.
Holding a door open.
Starting a conversation.
Saying hello to someone who looks like they might be having a difficult day.
We never truly know what another person is carrying.
The person standing quietly beside us might be fighting battles we cannot see.
The person who looks different from us might be desperately wishing someone would simply treat them normally.
And the person who seems confident may have spent years building the courage to take one small step forward.
Today, I took that step.
I asked for a “hi.”
And whether the response was loud or quiet, immediate or delayed, I reminded myself of something important:
My disability does not make me less worthy of friendship, respect, attention, laughter, or love.
I am still me.
I still have dreams.
I still laugh.
I still get nervous.
I still want to make memories.
I still want to be seen for everything I am—not only for the things that make me different.
So if you see someone who seems different from you, don’t let uncertainty stop you from being kind.
You don’t need the perfect words.
You don’t need to know their story.
Sometimes, all you need to say is:
“Hi.”
Because you never know how much that one little word might mean.
And today, I found the courage to ask for it.
Can I get a hi? ❤️
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