Monday, February 09, 2009


HEARTS THAT ARE SACRED

Sitting on a plane, Screaming Toddler #1 directly across the aisle from me, Screaming Toddler #2, two rows up.

Couldn’t be happier (ear plugs are helpful, too).

Spent the morning at another school that gets it.

Spent the morning being toured around by a boy named D. and two girls, J. and M.

Spent the morning laughing, crying, and feeling my heart burst wide.

Spent the morning surrounded by four adults with a million things to do, who dropped it all to give me ELD on their school, what they do, why they do it, and how they do it.

Answers? Honor the grace inherent in all human beings; because it’s the right thing to do; with lots of love.

D. and J. both have cognitive disabilities, M. is a student of Cardinal Dougherty, and was along for the ride, not to control, but to help guide the tour that D. and J. delightfully led me on.

We walked into one classroom, empty except for a teacher working hard at her desk. Above her desk was a picture of the Sacred Heart icon. J. pointed, looked at me, other hand on her hip, and said, “So? You know that guy?”

“Yes,” I said, “I know that guy.”

“Well, you SHOULD,” she continued. “And look at that heart. So much love.”

My hand going immediately to the bottom of my purse to grab a Kleenex, all I could do was nod.

So much love.

J. led me into the chapel, D. held the door for me. His Down Syndrome voice loud and unmistakable, he explained all the parts of the chapel, and told me how he carries the gifts on Fridays – that’s the day he and his peers go to chapel.

One foot still in, one foot in the hallway outside, J. looked at D. and said in an equally loud voice, “Hey, D., next time, could you take it down a notch? That’s a CHAPEL!”

Walking through the gym where some of their peers were having Adaptive PE, another boy waved at D. D turned to me, held his hand backwards against his mouth in a conspiratorial stance and said, “That’s my best friend.”

I looked at J. and said, “J.? Do you have a best friend?” She looked at D. and said, “I’m looking at him!”

Pretty sure no matter who was standing in front of her, that would have been her answer.

So much love.



* Image from www.marysprayersrosaries.com

9 comments:

kario said...

Love it. You are such a messenger of love, my dear. Could there be any doubt that this is your calling?

Glad you're home safe.

Wanda said...

Yeah. So much love.

Amber said...

So much.

*sniff*

:)

Angie Ledbetter said...

Awesome that you're seeing many different Faces and manifestations of Love!

Deb Shucka said...

It's no accident, I'm sure, that you are finding all kinds of the very deepest and most authentic love this month in particular. Ditto, Kario.

Michelle O'Neil said...

Beautiful.

Go Mama said...

Love.

unending...

Kim said...

So much love.

contemporary themes said...

whew! you get me every damn time!

Love this.

Love you.