-When I think about the words “incapacitated” and “disability”, there is naturally a negative connotation associated. However, when I think further I think about the idea that we all have something that we struggle with, we all have things that may not come as easy, in different forms. These thoughts came to me as I have learned from my own son that has a different way of approaching life because of his own difficulties. It is not that he stands out in the world because of what he is diagnosed with, or because he “looks” different. But it is because of his own uniqueness and his different way of approaching life. I strongly believe that there needs to be a different way that we as parents/adults go about teaching our kids how to view “special needs”. It is not a way of categorizing and separating from the world, but it is about learning how we all function differently. There is no lesser value in someone who needs extra assistance, but there is an extra layer of strength that parents and their kids have.
Although it has been a difficult journey (to say the least), my faith is what gives me hope in the unseen. There is no circumstance too big for Jehovah. I know that by creating awareness, I can reach many families that already deal with a similar situations, and maybe others that do not know how to approach this topic. But at the end, I am certain and I hold on to the promise that Jehovah will eliminate my own son’s pain and suffering, as well to other kids that have these special but not so special needs.
-Luisa
