ULTIMATE
PROTECTION
by Joanne Green I monitor the foods he eats, that he will grow up strong. I guide his moral development by teaching right from wrong. I teach him rules of safety to ensure his choice is wise. I dress him warm on colder days, and of course we immunize. If only I could hold a shield to turn all hurts away, I'd stand a martyr's vigilance to protect him night and day! But, there comes a time when it no longer does him any good, That I continue to hold the shield that he more rightly should. That becomes especially clear when peer relations start; When hurts don't hurt his body so much as they truly hurt his heart. I could protect him, hold the shield, turn slandering others away, Or I can pass the shield to him to keep those darts at bay. When those comments hurt my boy, I die a bit inside. But when I see him face his pain I understand with pride. That ultimately the battle is his and he must learn to deal, With ugly words and painful wounds that he alone can heal. I desperately want to protect him, and I know I always will, But, the only way I can really do that
is to provide him with that skill.
Angels Among Us
(Author Unknown) The angels gazed upon the earth And planned a very special birth-- "We'll give this child the gift of grace, A tender strength and precious face, A smile as brilliant as the sun To shine God's love on everyone, And eyes like stars, so twinkly bright, Like diamonds in the sky at night... This child will have a caring heart And be a blessing from the start-- A special gift from God above To hold and cuddle and to love. And there's a perfect place down there-- A home with tender, loving care, And parents who will soon have guessed They truly have been very blessed!" MY CHILD UNACCEPTED
Thrrough eyes wide with wonder and never ending curiosity, he looks at everything.
Through eyes filled with the tears of a broken heart, I see too much.
His ears listen to the sounds of the birds singing their springtime songs, the crickets their midnight lullaby, and the rustling of the autumn leaves as they settle to the earth. My ears hear the insensitive questions, unfair accusations and the sound of each teardrop as it falls from my eyes with a magnified echo into a puddle around me. He feels the change in the air as winter turns to spring, the heat of the summer sun warm upon his face, the bite of the autumn air, and the icy chill of winter. I feel the change in the air when we enter a crowded room, and the heat of unwanted attention hot upon my face. I feel the nagging bite of society as we move from place to place and the icy chill of fear and unacceptance. He waits impatiently, anticipating each new day, wondering what tomorrow will bring to him. I wait, with dreaded anticipation, of what tomorrow might not bring, fighting back the tears when I reflect upon the disappointments and hurt feelings of his yesterday. Under an admittedly over- protective wing, with a lot of love and a very bold front, together we face the world. He is taught the goodness of difference and individuality. I have learned the unfortunate truth about being a unique individual. He is taught how hurtful prejudice, discrimination and ignorance are. I am learning about hypocrisy. He knows how very special he is (to me). I am reminded every day by society, how special he isn't (to others). As he grows older, with my eyes wide with curiosity and the sheer wonder of him, and his eyes filled with loneliness and the tears of a broken heart, together we face the world.
Note: I found the original version of this poem called "A Child Unaccepted", on a special kids internet site. I thought it fairly accurately described some of the intense feelings that accompany parenting a child with obvious physical differences. The original was written about a girl, so I changed all the "she's" to "he's". I also made a few other modifications to more precisely describe the life of, and with, our beautiful, special little boy, who was born In 2000, prenatally exposed to alcohol and tobacco, addicted to meth-amphetamines and afflicted with a rare craniofacial disorder, but a more beautiful soul I've never known! (Author Unknown)
What do these special children teach us? They teach us to love... and to love everyone the same. They teach us to laugh, when most people would find nothing to laugh about. They teach us that our little problems could be a lot worst, and if we don't dwell on them, they really aren't that bad. They teach us that we don't all have to look the same to be a valued part of this world. They teach us to appreciate everyone, and to give each person the respect they deserve. They teach us to be compassionate and welcome those with challenges into our lives. The lessons they teach can us are too numerous to list. Sure, it's hard at times with not knowing what to expect and having people stare everywhere we go, and his presence in our family has changed us all for the better. His legacy is one of teaching others to love a little deeper. Who else among us can say that?       |
