School was always hard for me. I was always lost in class, and even if I tried so hard to focus, I still couldn't understand what was going. I knew something was wrong, and so did the people around me. I couldn't pick up the material that everyone could so easily understand. So what was wrong with me! I was young, but the frustration and anxiety grew thinking that there was something wrong with me. When we were asked to read from books or answer a question on the board my mind was just blank. For the life of me, I couldn't come up with the answer. When I was told the answer I would try so hard to memorize it. I was scared of not knowing the answer, and I was always embarrassed. Schoo was while I like many aspects of school like seeing my friends, I just hated the actual learning part because I wasn't learning.
So what was wrong with me? Was I just dumb? No! I'm not! In elementary school, I was told I was dyslexic, which in some ways came as a relief. Realizing that there was a real reason I had struggled for many years. It was decided that in order to be successful I would have to transfer to the school. This was tough for a 3rd grader, but I understood this was a fantastic opportunity for me to learn that many don't always have.Even though learning was still a struggle at this new school, they knew how to work with students with learning disabilities. I was able to learn faster and learn strategies to overcome the challenges I still have. I accepted the fact that when it came to school, it was going to take me longer than everyone else to learn the mates.
I'm very open about being dyslexia and never have tired of hiding it. Some are shocked when they find out I'm dyslexic, even people that I've known for years. They can't believe that I could be dyslexic because I just don't seem like it but I am! I think it's funny when people don't realize it because I think my dyslexia is so apparent.
I realize my dyslexia is never going to go away and still to this day I struggle with it, but I no longer blame myself for this. Not only have a learned about learning disabilities and about myself, but I've also learned to look at the world slightly differently. I try to understand other because we don't know whats really going on by just looking a someone.
Everyone has their challenges in life, and I've learned this through the years to try to understand. I definitely wouldn't be the person I am with my disability. Dyslexia has made me a stronger person, and it is apart of me. Dyslexia doesn't define me, but it is what makes me who I am.
