Make room for understanding.
There’s a quiet habit many people have when they meet someone with a disability — their eyes drop, their steps slow, and suddenly they’re unsure of what to say or how to act.
Most of the time, this hesitation isn’t born from judgment.
It’s born from fear.
Fear of saying the wrong thing.
Fear of being offensive.
Fear of crossing a line they don’t fully understand.
But the truth is simple:
People with disabilities are human first.
They laugh, they dream, they get frustrated, they hope — just like everyone else.
The challenges they face don’t make them fragile… they make them powerful in ways the world often overlooks.
You don’t have to overthink every sentence.
You don’t have to rehearse your words.
And you definitely don’t have to distance yourself out of caution.
If you’re unsure, ask.
If you’re curious, speak.
If you want to connect, say hello.
Most people are more open than you think.
And if someone prefers not to talk, they’ll let you know respectfully, honestly, and without anger.
Feeling uncertain is normal.
But looking away creates a barrier that never needed to exist.
Try leaning in.
Try choosing connection over caution.
You may learn something about their experience…
and you may discover something about your own humanity too.
By I Am Institute