For part one, please click here.

I have learning disabilities. There ... I said it. Was it hard? No, not at all. You wouldn’t know by looking at me.

I don’t carry a neon sign above my head with an arrow pointing down and the words learning-disabled flashing continuously. I didn’t have cards made up with the words, "My name is Amy Temple. I have learning disabilities," so I could pass them around to whoever would care.

I also have fine motor skills issues, which is pretty common for people with learning disabilities.

There are some things that take me longer to do, things some might take for granted:

• I tie slow. It takes a nondisabled individual no more than a minute to tie their shoes, but for me, it takes several. I simply can’t get my fingers to work. So I wear shoes with zippers, Velcro or slip-ons.
• I type in an unusual way. Though I rest all 10 fingers on the keyboard, I just use the first two or three fingers. Even with this arrangement, I type 60+ words per minute.
• I can’t wink nor snap my fingers like others can.

·My speech is also affected. I’m definitely one of those people who has to talk slow so people can understand me because the faster I talk, the less articulate I become. Personally, I have found out that if I think of what I want to say and taking a breath before speaking helps, too.

To me, these are just facts of life. I have accepted it.

Have there been times I wished I didn’t have these difficulties? Oh, sure.

But I have discovered the more you wish you weren’t the way you are, the more you risk losing sight of what really matters.

I can’t do anything — we, my fellow learning disabled — about our condition. That’s the way God made us.

Don’t let that deter you from doing whatever you want to do. Don’t let ANYONE stop you!

Unfortunately, we are going to have to really fight to prove we are worthy. Society has pretty much given up on us.

I have been blessed to have parents who have always been encouraging and supportive. They have always allowed me to live a normal life. They give me space.

They are truly my biggest supporters and when I am tempted to believe my naysayers...Mom and Dad won’t hear of it!

• "No, no! Don’t! You can do it!"
• "Don’t listen to them. They don’t know who you are and what you can do."

And they are right.Nobody knows what you can do but you!Trust yourself. Believe in yourself.