Don't let disability dominate your life

I am a person who has great difficulty detecting and understanding unwritten social cues.

On February 29 I went to The Barnabas Centre in Shrewsbury.

I gave a speech in front of more than 80 people. It was a very nervous situation and yet I encountered it.

In my speech I spoke about the Social Inclusion Recovery Service, and how the social groups have helped me cope with getting back into doing various activities.

I am very pleased with the outcome.

Even though I have a hidden disability, which makes it very problematic for me to start and keep friendships or relationships, I am now starting to make new friends and meet new people again.

I have enjoyed going on walks into the Selattyn hills, and going to Telford Ice Rink in the evening.

I have also enjoyed meeting new people that I have learned to trust.

To the person who wrote into the Shropshire Star with a letter headlined "Don't stare at disabled" (March 3), we all tend to do a bit of staring unintentionally - don't take it seriously.

I have a hidden disability but I don't let people wind me up.

I get on with my own life, and that's what you should be doing. It might be that that person is just glancing at the world going by.

Or if that person is staring at you, then you've got yourself an admirer. Just be cool about it!

Mark Parry, Oswestry