Blessed Are Those
I. Blessed are those who stop and listen to my chatter. You may not understand me; but I love when people talk to me, for I long for companionship, too.
II. Blessed are those who take my hand and walk with me when the path is rough, for I easily stumble and grow weary. But thank you, too, for letting me walk alone when the path is smooth, for I must learn independence.
III. Blessed are those who take the time to tell me about special happenings, for unless you make special effort to inform me, I remain ignorant.
IV. Blessed are those who wait for me. I may be slow, but I appreciate your patience.
V. Blessed are those who are not ashamed to be seen in public with me, for I did not choose to be born thus. It could have been you as well.
VI. Blessed are those who do not pity me, for I don't want pity. All I want is understanding and respect for what I have learned as well.
VII. Blessed are those who notice my accomplishments, small as they may seem to you. I must work long and hard to learn many of the things you take for granted.
VIII. Blessed are those who include me in their games, even though I may not understand the rules, I still like to be included in your activities.
IX. Blessed are those who think of me as a person who loves, and hurts, and feels joy and pain just like you do, for in that respect I am normal.
Author Unknown
Beatitudes For Friends Of People With Disabilities
Blessed are you who take the time to listen to difficult speech,
If I persevere, I can be understood.
Blessed are you who never bid me to "hurry up"
Or take my tasks from me and do them for me.
For I often need time, rather than help.
Blessed are you who stand beside me as I enter new and untried ventures, Myself and You.
Blessed are you who ask for my help.
For my greatest need is to be needed.
Blessed are you who, with a smile encourage me to try once more.
Blessed are you who never remind me
That today I ask the same question twice.
Blessed are you who respect me and love me just as I am.
Author Unknown
And Then God Created This Mother
Author Unknown
When the Good Lord was creating mothers, He was into his sixth day of "overtime" when an angel appeared and said, "You're doing a lot of fiddling around on this one."
And the Lord said "Have you read the specs on this order? She has to be completely washable, but not plastic, have 180 moveable parts - all replaceable, run on black coffee and leftovers, have a lap that disappears when she stands up, a kiss that can cure anything from a broken leg to a disappointed love affair and six pairs of hands, ears that will hear things she doesn't want to hear, a mouth that can gently kiss away scrapes and bruises and yet tear the hide right off of those who try anything against the best interests of her child. Yes, this model will have to be able to sit patiently and listen to outlandish reports about her child without flinching. She will have to hear how hopeless it all is and know that it isn't so. She will have to have those kinds of eyes which don't tear when she hears other mothers talk about how well things are going for their children." The angel shook its head slowly and said, "Six pairs of hands, yet? No way."
"It's not the hands that are causing the problems," said the Lord. "It's the three pairs of eyes this mother has to have." "That's on the standard model?" asked the angel. The Lord nodded and said, " One pair that sees through closed doors when she asks, "What are you kids doing in there?" when she already knows. Another pair here in the back of her head that sees what she shouldn't but what she has to know and, of course, the ones here in front that can look at a child when he goofs up for the 99th time and say, "I understand and I love you anyway" without so much as uttering a word.
"Lord," said the angel, touching his sleeve gently, "come to bed. Tomorrow!"
"I can't," answered the Lord, "I am so close to creating something so close to myself. Already I have one who heals herself when she is sick, feeds a family of six on one pound of hamburger and gets her nine-year-old to stand under a shower."
The angel circled the model of a mother very slowly. "It's too soft," it sighed. "But tough!" said the Lord excitedly. "You cannot imagine what this mother can do or endure." "Can it think?" asked the angel. "Not only can it think," said the Creator, "it can reason and compromise."
Finally, the angel bent over and ran a finger across the cheek. "There is a leak," it pronounced. "I told you that you were trying to put too much into this model." "That's not a leak, said the Lord, "it's a tear." "What's it for?" asked the angel. "Tears are for joy, sadness, disappointment, pain, loneliness and pride…..this model will know a lot about all that." answered the Lord. "But you know" He continued, "I don't even remember putting that tear there." "By the way", asked the angel, "what will you call this model?" I will call this one simply the mother of an autistic child."
You Have Taught Me
You have taught me patience,
to rejoice in small gains others take for granted.
You have taught me tolerance,
to accept that your perspective is different and deserves respect.
You have taught me courage,
to fight for you when no one else will.
You have taught me endurance,
to go on when I feel I can't anymore.
You have taught me humility,
to accept when I can't make things better but can only be here for you.
You have taught me LOVE,
at a deeper level than I ever thought possible.
-author unknown-
Heaven's Very Special Child
A meeting was held quite far from earth.,
"It's time again for another birth"
Said the Angels to the Lord above,
"This special child will need much love.
"His progress may seem very slow,
Accomplishments he may not show,
And he'll require some extra care,
From the folks he meets way down there.
"He may not run or laugh or play,
His thoughts may seem quite far away,
In many ways he won't adapt,
And he'll be known as handicapped.
"So let's be careful where he's sent,
We want his life to be content.
Please, Lord, find the parents who
Will do a special job for You.
"They will not realize right away,
The leading role they're asked to play,
But with this child sent from above,
Comes stronger faith and richer love.
"And soon they'll know the privilege given,
In caring for this gift from Heaven,
Their precious charge, so meek and mild,
Is Heaven's very Special Child."
Author Unknown
Remember that he is, first of all, my child.
Let me see him smiling in his sleep and let me think about how handsome he is
and not about how delayed that smile was in coming.
Help me not lose sight of my son in the shadow of his limitations
I know that you care for my child and that you work hard with him.
I need your expertise to help him become all that he is capable of being.
You need my help in understanding who he really is
and in following through at home with things that are important.
Remember, though, that you send him home at night and have weekends off and paid vacations.
Let me have the luxury of having a vacation, sometimes physically,
sometimes just emotionally, for a day, a week, a month, without your judging me.
I will be there for him when you are long gone.
I love my child with an intensity that you can only imagine.
If on a given day I am tired or cross with him, listen to me,
lighten my burden, but do not judge me.
Celebrate with me, rejoice in who he is and who he will become
but forgive me if from time to time I shed a tear for who he might have been.
Author Unknown
The Ten Commandments for Parents of Handicapped Children
1. Take one day at a time, and take that day positively. You don't have control over the future, but you do have control over today.
2. Never underestimate your child's potential. Allow him, encourage him, expect him to develop to the best of his abilities.
3. Find and allow positive mentors: parents and professionals who can share with you their experience, advice, and support.
4. Provide and be involved with the most appropriate educational and learning environments for your child from infancy on.
5. Keep in mind the feelings and needs of your spouse and your other children. Remind them that this child does not get more of your love just because he gets more of your time.
6. Answer only to your conscience: then you'll be able to answer to your child. You need not justify your actions to your friends or the public.
7. Be honest with your feelings. You can't be a super-parent 24 hours a day. Allow yourself jealousy, anger, pity, frustration, and depression in small amounts whenever necessary.
8. Be kind to yourself. Don't focus continually on what needs to be done. Remember to look at what you have accomplished.
9. Stop and smell the roses. Take advantage of the fact that you have gained a special appreciation for the little miracles in life that others take for granted.
10. Keep and use a sense of humor. Cracking up with laughter can keep you from cracking up from stress.
Author Unknown
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