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The Science of Constraints

Matthew Purinton, MSW, LSW
July 14, 2008

When I was in second grade I attended a special school for children with disabilities. One day I was summoned up to the guidance counselor's office. Armed with a theory that children with disabilities solve problems differently that their non-disabled cohorts, he sat me down to test his hypothesis. He laid out before me a wooden children's toy with a round hole and handed me a square peg. After studying the problem intently, I placed the square peg on top of the hole, reared back, and then brought my plastic brace encased leg squarely on top of the peg. Wood shivers flew everywhere as I proceeded to solve the problem. A dyer version of the square peg-round hole question was elegantly solved by the engineers on the Apollo 13 space flight; survival motivates the creation of amazing solutions. Although my solution may not have been as elegant as the one devised by those scientists, it is an example of one way to overcome the limitations of physics, all be it with some cost, the square peg will never be the same again. For the disabled individual overcoming the limitations of physics is a daily practice.

Physics is the science of constraints. It's the equations of limitation. Living with a disability is an exercise in bending the physical laws of science to accomplish what's needed. In a real sense, people with disabilities are the explorers of the boundaries of human experience. Physics exacts a heavier toll on individuals with a disability. Every movement is more difficult for people with disabilities. For example, although gravity affects everyone, it hampers people with disabilities disproportionately. So how do those with disabilities survive; indeed thrive when the very laws of physical reality scheme against them?

Buddhist monks and Yogi masters are able to place their bodies and minds in extraordinary states to accomplish amazing feats. So too must the individual with a disability bend their bodies and minds to accomplish ordinary tasks in an extra ordinary manner. The individual with a disability is motivated by every human drive engrained in all human beings to strive to satisfy the needs of a good life. This drive provides the motivation that's necessary to reinterpret the laws of physics. While Buddhist Monks and Hindi Masters receive years of instruction, the individual with a disability must discover the knowledge of how to stretch physics by necessity, when their inborn innately human drives are threatened. People are capable of extraordinary feats when motivated sufficiently. The individual with a disability is keenly aware that although the laws of physics are unbreakable, their survival depends on the ability to conquer seemingly insurmountable obstacles. In order to venture into the outer bounds of human experience the individual with a disability must fully commit their mind, body, and soul.

The non-disabled world does not realize how treacherous life is for people with disabilities who must navigate through a world that is ill equipped to handle their needs. It's amazing that more people with disabilities don't die from mishaps just attempting to navigate through this inaccessible world. People with disabilities are magicians, they perform life tasks with what looks like ease, but behind the curtain they must call on all their strength to put on their show. Like a duck on a pond that seems tranquil and at ease above water, but is furiously kicking its legs underneath.

When the Paralympics, the Olympic competition for the world's greatest athletes with disabilities came to Atlanta, a number of contestants received severe injuries falling in their inaccessible hotel bathrooms, even before they made it to the field of competition. Every athlete who came knew that this was a possibility, and yet they came anyway. A few years ago a disability rights advocate was unable to get accessible transportation to a meeting about accessible accommodations, and lost his life when his wheelchair fell down a ravine attempting to circumvent a curb. People with disabilities risk their very lives everyday to scale the steps of buildings, and overcome every possible obstacle to participate in society. When buses refuse, or are unable to accommodate our wheelchairs people with disabilities push themselves down busy city streets, so that their participation in life is not denied. In a life where a single step is tantamount to physical segregation, we thrive.

For the individual with a disability, every action has a cost. That cost maybe exhaustion, pain, physical injury, or psychological damage, but it's always there. In order to meet these challenging conditions, to know that the individual with a disability will eventually pay a cost for participating in mainstream society, a certain mindset is required. The little things in life are so precious. Spending time with friends and family, contributing through vocational work, and enjoying leisure activities are what enriches life. The motivation to experience these things is so strong that it allows the individual with a disability to accomplish truly amazing feats. To live successfully with a disability requires full commitment. The individual with a disability must be willing to risk everything at any moment to overcome any given obstacle. That is what is required to navigate an uneven walkway or a shaky stairwell. The individual with a disability must muster every bit of strength and then some, to find the extra ten percent effort when a 100% just won't do, the way to push physics past its absolute limits. It takes true commitment. A sacred animal for us is the bumble bee. Its body is too big, and its wings are too small. Yet it flies because it flaps its wings faster than any other bee.

Living with a disability is like walking a tight rope without a net. It means to commit oneself to life absolutely. People with disabilities were the world's first "extreme athletes," but we don't risk it all for adrenalin or glory, we risk it all to get to the grocery store, and to parent-teacher conferences. I remember I was once caught on the third floor of a building after an after hours business meeting. When I attempted to use the elevator I found that it didn't work. By the time I made it back to the office, the employees had already left through the other stairwells. When I assessed the steps I discovered that they were marble with metal lips, a nightmare for anyone with a disability. Panic began to set in as I searched for any way to find help. My heart began to race, as I realized that I would somehow have to scale the stairs myself. Although that prospect may not be difficult for most, for someone with hands at their shoulders and severe joint deformities, scaling any staircase is a risky enterprise. When I peered down the stairs, the cells of my body began to shake, I'd fallen down flights of stairs before, none as treacherous as the ones I faced that day. Then my disability self took over. My breathing slowed, I developed tunnel vision, my cells turned from jello to steel. I became a being built for one purpose, to overcome those stairs. All that existed in that moment was the stairs and me. My service dog Rocky looked at me with trepidation, but once he saw my determination, he took a position in front of me two steps down to sacrifice himself if need be to save me, he had become upset when he could not help me the last time I had fallen. When I took that first step I was committing myself fully. Either I was going to make it down those stairs or die trying.

The truth is that those of us with disabilities serve a huge value, that is often invisible to society. We show the world what is possible. We push ourselves to the threshold of human capabilities in order to navigate the social systems that were never designed for our admittance. We risk everything every day to participate in society. I think Neil Marcus said it best, "Disability is not a brave struggle, nor a courageous battle, Disability is an Art, it's an ingenious way to live."

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Matthew Purinton, MSW, LSW is a Staff Therapist in CFR's University City office and can be reached at 215-382-6680 ext. 3135.

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