The Gift of Dyslexia

I was talking with a coworker today about a book that came through the store that I wanted. It was titled "The Gift of Dyslexia." I was intrigued. I don't exactly think of it as a gift, some days I even think of it as more of a curse than anything. He then looked at me and hesitantly asked if I had at some point said that I was Dyslexic. I didn't know he actually listened to things that came out of my mouth. We talked for a minute and then I mentioned that I am graduating with an over all GPA of 2.5 and a last 60 credits of 3.15, oh yeah, and the plan is to get my Master's. Why do I always do that? I scare people away. I am more than my Dyslexia. My Dyslexia is not what defines me, and yet far too often I allow it to. I am a woman, I am smart, I am strong, I am determined, I have a faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, I am a friend, and yet what comes out all too often? I am Dyslexic and I am succeeding. I push people away because the fist thing that they learn about me is "Hi, I am Jamie, I am Dyslexic and determined. You had better not get in my way." It is interesting because on the one hand it has not defined me because many people with a learning disability do not continue on to get a higher education, and yet I have pushed through. I have not allowed my diagnosis to tell me what I can or cannot do. On the other hand, I have let it drive me and let it help me prove that I can do something with myself. Somehow I need to find a happy medium. Yes, I am determined and yes, I have allowed my diagnosis to propel me in life until this point, however I need to stop scaring people away by making that the first and only thing that they know about me.