What's in the name STOLENFEATHER?

A BIRD is born, is blessed with a beautiful plumage, a vibrant song, and the ability to fly. He glides in the air with all its splendour and everyone stops to admire his/her elegance. This is what has made me into a passionate birdwatcher.

If a bird loses his vibrant singing voice and can’t signal his territory or a mate,... Is he still a bird?

If a bird loses all of it’s wings and can’t regain the security of the skies,... Is he still a bird?

I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 1997. Since then, I have had my eyesight stolen a number of times and my vision, I’ve been told, will never return 100% since optical neuritis (inflammation of the optical nerve) is not very forgiving. Once in awhile MS makes itself known in my life. When this happens, I find myself losing feeling in different parts of my body. I was lucky and all the stolen symptoms in the past were erased with time but I know that this will not always be the case. This is my experience with the disease and I join other MS'ers in our fight against it. One by one, our feathers are stolen while in our prime flying years,...

My question therefore remains. If all is lost one feather at a time,... Will I, one day, cease being a bird?

When did I truly become a bird? If I can’t really answer this then how can I know when I desist?

My ‘birdhood’ is who I am regardless of WHAT I WIN OR LOSE. So to my friends I am known as “stolenfeather” and this name shall stand even if my wings one day become useless.