Very Special People

Special Olympics, Special People and Terri Schiavo

This is a blog from the past, never posted here at Blogspot. It is not all about Terri. If this blog doesn't tug at your heart strings.....you probably don't have any.

I will admit it right up front, I get more than a little angry when people make jokes about ‘retards’ or the ‘Special Olympics’.

Today I heard a Terri Schiavo joke. I could not avoid being in the same room as the person who told the sick joke about Terri Schiavo.

This same person is the one who always knows, and wants to share the latest ‘retard’ joke. Nice fellow, huh?

I wish you could be me for awhile, so that you could feel the emotions I have for the helpless.

Whether it is the child in the womb,

the retarded child,

or Terri Schiavo.

“But for the grace of God, there go I”

The next time you chance upon a retarded human being, look carefully at that person who is breathing the same air as you. Then answer this question of mine.

How come you are not retarded?

Just what did you do to escape the same retardation?

Did you have anything to do with the formation of the embryo that grew into you?

You started out exactly like everyone of us, sperm and egg. What did you do to form your brain?

I want to share this story with you. I have seen it in many different places on the world wide web. I don’t know the author, or even if it is an actual happening being talked about.
But I can assure you that this could be true. What makes me sure? I have a twin brother who is mentally retarded, so I have been around many retarded children, and retarded adults. This has the ring of truth to it, and has a message for us all.

Special Olympics

A few years ago at the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100-yard dash. At the gun, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win.
All, that is, except one boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy cry. They slowed down and looked back. They all turned around and went back. Every one of them.
One girl with Down's Syndrome bent down and kissed him and said, "This will make it better."
All nine linked arms and walked across the finish line together.
Everyone in the stadium stood, and the cheering went on for several minutes. People who were there are still telling the story. Why? Because deep down we know this one thing:
What matters in this life is more than winning for ourselves.
What truly matters in this life is helping others win, even if it means slowing down and changing our course.