Gretchen Roach

“As difficult as it might be to live without limbs, my life still had value to be shared. There was nothing I lacked that would prevent me from making a difference in the world. My joy would be to encourage and inspire others. Even if I didn’t change this planet as much as I would like, I’d still know with certainty that my life would not be wasted. I was and am still determined to make a contribution (p. 24).”
― Nick Vujicic, Life Without Limits

“Making this world accessible is nothing but removing the barriers placed by the society.”
― Dr. Kalyan C. Kankanala

“Most importantly, it's a message that assumes absolute and unrealistic able-bodiedness. No one with glasses. No crutches, no wheelchairs, no visible differences from girl to girl apart from the colour of their eyes and hair. Perfectly symmetrical faces abound. Some of the princesses – Mulan and Merida in particular – are athletes, with the kind of unrealistic body control and power that even able-bodied people often struggle to obtain. The message is that heroism isn't possible without physical 'perfection,' especially for girls.”
― Amanda Leduc, Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space

“Through the darkness, the call of the owl invites us to reflect, to meditate, in that suspended moment where time seems to stop.”
― David Passarelli, Mountain poems: Musings on stone, forest, and snow