Warning: This will probably offend...

This is my new job title, I am a super hero, the Ofenedenator! Or maybe I am not mystical at all and see it as a truth. Either way, its my view.

I am not exactly sure when it all happened, but the fact remains we are dealing with the consequence of not facing today's youth issues, which will be the face of our Nation tomorrow. Folks, what does accountability mean? I don't mean the text book version, I mean what does it mean to you, in your life? What about disability? What does that mean? How does that apply to your life? Think about today's young people? See a trend here? I am in no way making light of disabled people, in fact I am immediately related to some whom I love dearly who also share my views. I want to empower you.

Too may times in the work place I hear young people say, they cannot do something on the account of... (by the way its because of, not on the account of...) fill in the blank.

I had someone say they couldn't condense the shelf on account of a bad back. Yet that same person also told me they were bent over their toenails for over an hour doing artwork, let me mention she was about 20. I have other people look at me crazy when I asked if they had a job, and say, "No, I can't work because, I go to school 12 hours." Too many people have an excuse of why they cannot do something! Sometimes I fancy they spend more time thinking of reasons why some task can't be preformed than they do actually working, if they had any inclination to work.

I have a child that struggles with a learning disability. Yes its invisible, and yes don't read into this too hard and think I am attacking anyone with an invisible disability. Read on. He works very hard for the grades he gets. I have never handed my son a crutch or ever expressed to him that he is disabled in any way. It is instilled at him, he has a different set of abilities. Now he thinks he is invincible, and his feelings don't get hurt, and his grades are soaring. Why? It is because he has the mentality he can do anything despite any monkey wrench life may throw at you. Plus I think he is invincible!

Young people, you can hold a job and go to college (Hi, I went to college and work and maintain a household and two kids). You can have a bad back and be a greeter at Wal-Mart, I see 80 year olds do it often. You can have ADD, and work in a factory or multi-tasking atmosphere. You can be depressed, and be a group leader for other people like you, because guess what? They are going to listen to you, you are one of them. You can have down syndrome and hold a job (I know someone that has) You can get a job even if you don't have a car. You can find a way if you really, really want it. I often wonder when I hear excuses of people not being able to preform a task because of some feeble excuse, if they feel ashamed when they read articles about fully disabled veterans running 26 mile marathons, and things of that nature.

My whole rant is... take accountability for your life. I don't care what's wrong or right with you, what I can see and can't see. Just stop making excuses. Reach for the stars and if you fall a little short, sit back and enjoy the view because the stars are still twinkling down on you my friends. You do not need a crutch, you need drive. You need to aspire to be better than, more than, or whatever you want despite your physical or mental differences. The only thing about you that is holding you back and that is disabling you is your MINDSET.

Much respect and love to those who will keep reaching for their dreams not matter the obstacle.

Signed,  a person with ADD, depression, and a child with a learning disability.