A few weeks ago I posted this.
This past week someone told me how courageous they thought I was to have a child with Down's Syndrome. My daughter doesn't have Down's Syndrome. She has a small nose, which is the only thing I and the cashier checking us out at the grocery store could figure would make this other shopper possibly think she might have the disorder. I was going to say thank you and leave it alone and let her believe Shelby had Down's but then I stopped to think, "that's not fair to all the mother's and father's out there caring for children with DS." I replied, "Thank you, my daughter doesn't have Down's Syndrome, but it wouldn't matter if she did, I wouldn't consider myself courageous, just her mother who loves her." I offered a smile and left it alone. The woman was obviously embarrassed, had no idea what to say and when another cashier opened another check-out line, she quickly joined it. The cashier waiting on me has known me quite some time as did the man bagging my groceries.
"Some people," the cashier said, shaking her head sadly.
"As if it matters if your baby has a disorder?" the bagger added, "I guess we just have to pray for people like that," he said.
I nodded, "She is probably just scared or uncertain of what to say when she meets people with disabilities and her insecurity causes her to see things sometimes that don't exist."
We all shared a smile and wished each other blessings on our days before Shelby and I left.
Two days later, Danielle posted this link of so many beautiful children and families affected by DS. I cried while watching it and thought of what a gift these children were to their families and so many others.
I said before that any child in our family would be a gift and blessing. But I see now that part of that gift and blessing are being able to accept that child freely into our lives.
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