Everyone- having a disability or not- thinks and acts differently. People with disabilities are like anyone else, but they face things in life differently than those with full physical and mental function. They think differently, but so do you and I. As I’ve worked with special needs kids in High School I’ve learned to never doubt their abilities. Some kids are brilliant with math, some are computer geniuses, and some are gifted artists. Their talents never falls short of amazing. The unfortunate thing is that some see disabilities as a negative thing. However, they don’t have to be seen as disabling. Disabilities allow people to think outside the box. Disabilities allow people to push themselves. Disabilities allow people to have the ability to do anything.
My friend
Holly is one of the spunkiest girls I know. She is loved by everyone at our
school and is one of the most beautiful girls there. She loves to sing and
dance and just like half of the teenage girl population, she’s obsessed with
The Vampire Diaries. She seems like any other teenage girl and that’s because
she is. The thing about Holly is that she has down-syndrome. However, it
doesn’t slow her down. Having down- syndrome doesn’t make her anything less than
amazing. A thing I admire about Holly is her confidence. She isn’t afraid to
just be herself! Half of this world struggles with being themselves. Many are
quick to label Holly as “disabled”. What they don’t know is that Holly has the
ability to love and be herself, something we could all learn to do.
Another
friend of mine is my cousin Emory. He is the biggest gentleman I know. Every
time I see him I look forward to his tight hugs! He can sense when others are
sad, and knows how to kindly approach them and offer a hug for support. For
example, one time my mom was feeling blue, and Emory knew something was wrong.
He politely said to her, “Perhaps a hug would help?” How could you not love
someone who is so loving to others? Emory has autism, but it’s nothing he can’t
handle. He is better behaved and caring than half the boys at my own school! If
the world was full of Emory’s, there would be no more sadness and hatred. Emory
has the ability to care for others when it is needed.
I have
many flaws. I struggle with confidence and unfortunately, my hugs don’t make
everyone feel better. We all have flaws. Sometimes we lose our temper or cry
for no reason. One of the biggest flaws this
world has is not being able to see everyone as equal. No matter how capable of
solving a math problem you are, it doesn’t make you better than the person who
can’t. If everyone could work with the kids I get to see every day there would
be no more name calling or mislabeling. I got into peer tutoring class to help
the kids with school studies and to be a friend to them. What they don’t know
is, they have taught me more than I could ever teach them. Every time I
walk into the classroom my heart automatically swells as my good friend Alexis
yells “Hooooope!” Sometimes when I have a bad day, just hearing her call my
name with excitement makes me feel ten times better. She taught me that I
matter and that doing small things can make someone’s day.
I can’t
express my love enough for these kids. Although many in the world look at them
as disabled and “retarded”, they are failing to see them as the kids they are
on the inside. Those kids love themselves. They love others. Why can’t we all
love them back? They have disABILITIES that make them outstanding. I’m so
thankful for them and the happiness they bring me and so many other people.
They are examples to us that disabilities are not in fact, disabling.
