I am Adjustable!

I wish I knew where I first read about the concept of adjusting rather than accepting. I would happily give credit, because this attitude shift has brought about a major change in the way I perceive various circumstances.
"Accepting," so the theory goes, "is what you do with a present." It is placed in your lap or your hands. It is now yours, and your only choice is to say thank you, as if that sweater with fluorescent orange pom poms was the thing you wanted most in the world. You may not want what has been given to you, but you accept it. This, the prevailing wisdom says, is how we must deal with our blindness or any other unpleasant thing we encounter.
However, my wise but unknown source suggests an alternative. "Instead of accepting, we can adjust -- which takes hard work and strength."
What a thought! When a disability, a health challenge, or maybe a second disability arises, we have choices. We can accept the ugly fluorescent orange thing that threatens to suffocate us, or we can straighten our backs, hold our heads up, reach out to others for support, and remain confident in the knowledge that we may bend, but we have the strength to be adjustable.
If you have a story to share, or a resource that helps you remain adjustable, we'd love to hear about it. You can leave a comment on our Facebook page, on Twitter, or on our BlindAlive Community on Facebook.