Tuesday, May 11, 2010




Let us not look back in anger or forward in fear but
around in awareness.
- James Thurber

Jess at A Diary of a Mom wrote today about the phenomenon of walking into your child's classroom and seeing all the support they're getting, and how surprisingly, it surprises you (my words). She wondered if one ever gets used to it.

Never.

Hate to sound negative, discouraging or in any way disheartening, but the reality is you don't get over the shock. It continues to hit you like a ton of bricks. Other kids are doing things one way, your kid is doing it a different way, or not at all.

So, no, you don't get used to it, but you get okay with it. You learn how to stop looking back with anger and resentment, stop looking forward with fear and anxiety, and start looking around with awareness and acceptance.

Your child is different. That's the bad news and that is the good news. Except there is no bad news and there is no good news, there is just news and our interpretation of that news. Your child is different. Period.

We need different. Look around. We badly, badly, badly need different. It's my personal belief that these kids are here to help heal and evolve our planet.

I know they are helping to heal and evolve me.




* Photo from: www.rokano.com

15 comments:

pixiemama said...

Yes.

jess said...

Uh huh.

Anonymous said...

There's a Temple Grandin quote I love -- the world needs all kinds of minds.

Deb Shucka said...

And through your compassionate and inspired words, these children help heal us all.

Your favorite ET quote works here, doesn't it? The one about touching with gently awareness.

Love.

Anonymous said...

Great post Carrie!

fullsoulahead.com said...

Love.

Kim said...

This post is a perfect example of what I love so much about the way you write, the way you think, and you in general. Wisdom, insight, compassion, kindness--all as clear and simple as a cool blue sky. It takes you so few words to explain the whole world.

Wanda said...

Different is different. And who among us isn't different? I mean...really?

Tabitha Bird said...

Different. Yes. Something I aspire to be :)

Tanya @ TeenAutism said...

Very true, and so well said.

Ms. TK said...

HELL YES. There is room for everybody. All kinds of minds.

I say this at every friggin' faculty meeting I go to.

If we keep telling them, they'll hear it.

Thank you, sister.

kario said...

So many of the teachers I know are the fearful ones. They fear the kids who are different because they're afraid of failing them. Not only do we need different, we need continued compassion for everyone as they adapt to a world where one size doesn't fit all.

You're absolutely right - they're here to teach us.

Love.

Amber said...

love this.

ox :)

Wantapeanut said...

Love this post. My son starts special ed preschool next month. Bracing myself for the new and the different.

Brenda Rothman (Mama Be Good) said...

Yes, Carrie. I wish I had read this post a few days ago. Instead of looking back or looking forward, I could just contain myself to looking around. I do appreciate. I do love the gifts from my son. But I also wish that the physical parts and the anxiety parts weren't so very difficult. But thanks for reminding me not to dwell on those.