{Walk in their shoes…}

Having our son Michael has taught me so many things I can’t count them all.
One of them is compassion for people with disabilities.
Before he came along I was very ignorant and plain old mean hearted when it came to people who have disabilities.
Laughing at the boy with Down Syndrome who loves his Mickey Mouse gloves and Merlyn hat so much he walks all over town with them on, laughing at the people who walk down the street talking to them selves, and criticizing people for being “slower” than I am.
Using words like retard and gimp {Yuck!}
Looking back at my own behavior is so disappointing. I look at our son and my heart breaks to think I was so cruel before.
Now, I find myself having to hold back my hurtful words when people stare at us when we are out and he is throwing a fit, when people stare at him when we are pushing him around in his chair, when people snicker as he is trying to talk and the words are understood by me but not to them, or when a little old lady says “he’s a little big to be pushed around shouldn’t he be walking?”
Rather than lashing out at those people because they are ignorant, I need to turn the compassion around that I have learned to have for those with disabilities and have the same compassion for those who are ignorant. I need to be an example, an ambassador, and a teacher to those who otherwise don’t know any better. Show them that we are not to be made fun of, or felt sorry for, but rather understood and perhaps a little envied.
See, our family is special, we have our own club. We get to have our own language. We get to experience life in a whole different light than everyone else. We get to realize how special our abilities are. We get to love and trust each other unlike anything else in this life. We get to see the value in EVERYTHING.
So, next time you see someone who has a disability try talking to them, be a friend to them, try understanding them, rather than staring, pointing at them or being impatient with them.
We are part of a special club, a club like no other, you will never have more, joy, laughter, and love, we would love to let you in.