WELCOME TO HOLLAND
by Emily Perl KingsleyI am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability – to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It’s like this……
When you’re going to have a baby, it’s like planning a fabulous vacation trip – to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It’s all very exciting.
After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, “Welcome to Holland.”
“Holland?!?” you say. “What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I’m supposed to be in Italy. All my life I’ve dreamed of going to Italy.”
But there’s been a change in the flight plan. They’ve landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is that they haven’t taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It’s just a different place.
So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.
It’s just a different place. It’s slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you’ve been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around…. and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills….and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy… and they’re all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say “Yes, that’s where I was supposed to go. That’s what I had planned.”
And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away… because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.
But… if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn’t get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things … about Holland.
c1987 by Emily Perl Kingsley. All rights reserved
A story of peace, love and Down syndrome and everything in between... "Where there is love, there is life...and it's an EXTRAordinary life!"
Saturday, 22 March 2014
Circle 21
Ok, first off I have to thank everyone for recognizing World Down syndrome day yesterday. Next year I think I'm going to really do it up right! Not sure what I'll do yet, but it'll be good. Hope you're all still following so you can be a part of it too:)
Today, I'm not going to go on about how amazing I think those with DS are. No. Not this time. Because I think if you're following this, then you already know and obviously agree. So once again, I thank you!
What I will ramble on about is the Down syndrome community and how wonderful it feels to be a part of my new found family. The connection we share as strangers is truly unremarkable. My Circle 21. I have spoken to new people like we're old friends, people I have never even met. I have reconnected with old friends. Friends that I always enjoyed having but never really stayed in touch with. I have received messages from other parents telling me wonderful things about their children, and sending me good blessings. All awesome things! I have just one word. Heartwarming. Ok, two words. Comforting. It's reassuring to me that we're not alone. That other families have travelled this road before, and found it to be their best trip ever. I don't want to go to Italy anyway. I'd much rather stay in Holland.
Since starting my page a couple of days ago, I have over 1250 followers. Which means 1200 of you believe, accept and have respect for anyone with special needs. That means you are AMAZING! And together we can make this world a better place for our children:) God bless ❤
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