Two nights ago after having dinner with my family and Pat, I called a good friend of mine Artin from college then slid into bed, where I turned on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. I love comedy and satire. He had on Miguel Nicolelis, a professor from Duke University. They developed a suit that disabled people can put on and simply by thinking–through their brainwaves–a disabled person can walk and move without assistance.

For the last couple of months I have been thinking about movement. I found myself looking at people and seeing how they move. At times it’s hard for me to have body calmness that other people have. At restaurants I see people putting their hands in their laps. What’s ironic is the fact that I sit in my chair that is over $30,000, has cushions and support, and here they are sitting in their chair that costs no more than fifty bucks and they are more comfortable than I am. I also watch people run up stairs, people in crowds navigating their way through, when sometimes I want to get through a crowd it’s like parting the Red Sea. The irony is that as I get older, I dwell on it more and more. I guess this is because when I was a little kid, it was easier for me to get around. People like my parents could just pick me up or I could just walk with help easier.

I have been also thinking about taking an exotic vacation. I like to travel but often wonder what it would be like to walk on the beach or go hiking.

I don’t think about a cure or a miracle that much. But when I saw the research that Nicolelis was doing, I was amazed. I was also amazed by the humanitarian aspect that drove his passion for the research. As you all know, I only use my disability as a backdrop, but I feel compelled to talk about research and give you my perspective.

“Beyond Boundaries” by Miguel Nicolelis

Timelapse - Lighthouse (Oct 2012) from IMK Digital Multimedia on Vimeo.