Bell's Palsy

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This may sound like an atypical story, but maybe the fact that my parents accepted me 'as is' has something to do with it. I am 48 years old, have enjoyed genuine friendships and romantic relationships 'despite' being my face being partially paralyzed from birth. I figure my mother didn't want me to get surgery right away (although she did consult with doctors to get as much info about this condition as possible) because she believed nobody would learn anything about tolerance of my body with the idea I 'had' to be 'fixed' when I didn't even have a say in the matter. It worked! Although some people discriminated against me, I realized later that it was more a matter of spite and ignorance than anything else. People who were more emotionally secure and less 'threatened' by something they did not understand treated me with affection, respect, and acceptance. People who 'had' to judge my body were basically insecure, and needed an excuse to 'feel superior' this way. The hardest experiences for me were when those people kept trying to make me doubt my self-confidence and even view of myself as beautiful (to me, an integrated feeling about my looks being "me"--as in "if I didn't look like 'me' I'd be somebody else!" as well as appreciation for individual features)--supposedly, if they could get me to do that, they would have "power", or at least someone to share their discomfort and misery (or vanity). Also, those who saw me getting ahead in life without an excuse were upset because now THEY didn't have an excuse! And didn't want to take responsibility for their attitude, so they'd be resentful towards me for 'daring' to exist without "crutches". The bottom line is this: Be yourself, treat yourself with respect, and show others how to treat you...learn to question assumptions about "who" you are, such as responding with " Why does that matter?", "I think that's a presumptuous question!", and
"I don't think that's appropriate.." Don't be 'ashamed' to exist! Having Bell's Palsy is part of the human condition, and people who can't accept/deal with that fact are unrealistic, unreasonable, and afraid of their own mortality (and don't want to admit it).