Have you read about the armless pilot? Not long after writing that Lessons from Laos #3 post, “You don’t have to be perfect to be loved”, my aunt sent me an email about the amazing Jessica Cox. Born without arms, she has forged a life and now not only has a university degree and drivers licence, she is also a pilot. Imagine flying a aircraft…with your feet! Personally, as a contact lens wearer myself, I’m even more amazed she can insert her own lenses using her toes as the fingers they are for her.We find her amazingly fascinating, because we imagine ourselves trying to use our own legs and feet to do everything we currently use our arms and hands for. Frankly, I’d have to do a lot of practice to even be able to lift my leg up that high, let alone also hold the nozzle to fill my car with petrol!
Yet Jessica Cox is simply using what she was given. Her battles came from being considered different and therefore inadequate and incapable. And to my mind, the biggest gift she was given by her parents, after life, was permission to live normally and strive to have and follow her dreams. She wasn’t treated as an object of pity to be hidden away. Nor was she pampered and over-indulged as over-compensation for her birth state. It must have been so difficult at times to see her struggle, and I greatly admire their courage and conviction. As parents they helped forge her self-identity, then of course Jessica took over honing and polishing. What an inspiring three-some! Here are some of the photos I was sent, with the original accompanying words.
Parental influence on identity.
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