The other day I took Mr. Owen with me to the store. I don't always take him places, he can get rather upset at times in the store. I am getting pretty good at understanding what is going on, but can not always avoid the triggers. He usually likes to be helping -- unloading the cart, putting things in bags, things like that. And he doesn't always get why he can't do something.
Anyway, we were picking up the pictures for the Christmas cards. And of course, there was someone ahead of us at the photo counter. Of course she had an issue. Of course it was taking a while to resolve.
The lady in front of us reminded me of a nun. She was very nice. She noticed Owen and talked to him, and to me. She told me of a member of her Church, who I think had a growth problem. She talked about how he grew up, how his parents loved him, how he is included, and how well he is doing today. Although this man and Owen have are not too similar, I do like how she took a positive story and related it to us/to our situation. She was looking for common ground. Reaching out to us. Including and Accepting us. How wonderful that is. For all the stares and looks we get (especially when Owen does have a breakdown at the store), it is so warming to have a warm, positive experience. Before we left, she gave me the card for her Church. I am not sure what faith it is (I didn't really look at the card, I had to chase Owen and then try and keep him near me and not out the door while we paid), I do know it is not the same as mine.
How incredible that this woman, sees us, talks to us, and reaches out to welcome us to her Church. I want to be like that. I want to walk in the path of God. I want to feel so strong in my beliefs that I can reach out to others. Huh, I don't like how I said that. I am strong in my beliefs. I often want to scream them out to the world. God shows me all the time powerful proof that he is helping me live my life, he blesses me in some of the tiniest ways, in some major ways, quietly, loudly, every day, and more often than I notice, more often than I deserve. I want to show everyone, tell all my stories. I want to be like this woman. In a time when genocide of people with Down syndrome is a real possibility, here is someone going out of her way to want us, to want Owen. I am thinking of visiting her Church. I love my Church, and don't want to change, not the parish, not my faith.
As I say about Owen & Jason (all kids), I can say about our two faiths - we are more alike than different. At least, from what I understand about Christianity.
Speaking of Faith, I have been volunteering with our local food pantry. There are seven Churches in our city (I think) that make up the pantry - Christians in Action. I volunteer directly to the pantry. Each week, on a rotational basis, each Church has volunteers come to help. I like that I get to go and be there and meet the people of all the Churches.
It was during our Thanksgiving week, that one of the volunteers came up to me and we started talking. She had put the pieces together (thankfully, cause I don't think I ever would have). Our sons are in the same class. I had seen her each week when it was her Church's turn to volunteer, and we had small conversations. I didn't catch on when I went to the school field trip, but it was shortly after that she figured it out. Her oldest boy (she has 3 and is pregnant with her 4th boy, God Bless her!) is in Owen's preschool class. What an amazing connection. What a small world.
Tonight, after everything was just about done, we were talking, and another girl from their Church was with us. This other girl is there and helps two of our families who are deaf. I had told her how wonderful it is that she is there on the same nights as the women, and is able to talk to them. I guess she works with deaf people, and she has offered to help us learn sign language! She mentioned a different Church, in another city, that offers sign language lessons. And she said she would love to help us. We talked for quite a while, and she is an amazing person!
I always here of the negative, the bad, and the ugly, in meeting people. Those stories are sometimes so shocking -- retelling them is important. (Like last week a friend of mine's daughter got up at lunch to get something, and a teacher sat in her seat and was playing with her food and picking on her when she returned. Yes, I said teacher. Not student, teacher.) Heartwarming and positive stories are also important to hear. There is so much good in this world. The good often gets drowned out by all the bad. While we need to have our eyes open, and knowledge is power, so we need the news, it would be great if there was a larger portion of it devoted to uplifting, positive, information.
Wow, it is late now. I was just going to start this as a draft. Mostly to remind myself of what I wanted to write about, not to write it all. I am sure it is a rambling, soap box kinda blog. Maybe I will come back and read it later. Like after I get some sleep.
