I’m having one of those days today.
Where everything goes wrong, everything seems to suck, and I’m apparently paying back Carma debt I owe for somehow being a dick in my past.
So I’m walking down the road barely able to keep it together when I see a boy across the street with his father trailing close behind him. The kid’s maybe eight years old and suffering from what looks like Cerebral Palsy as he doggedly directs his wheeled walking-assistant apparatus.
I instantly said to myself, “Okay, God. I get your message. It could be worse. Thank you for the reminder.”
I began to feel better, but only for a split second, because it did get worse.
That father told his son, “You’re not going straight because you’re draggin’ your foot.”
He said it in what appeared to me a frustrated tone, and it left me feeling a sadness unmatched in many years.
I know dealing with kids with special needs as hard as hell, but here’s this kid, just trying to walk and do whatever is expected of him, probably just trying to make daddy happy, and frustration from his hero is what I’m certain he heard too.
F#ck! Today is a great day after all…for me.
Thank you kid. You may not walk straight enough, but you sure straighten me out.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Shane You have a heart of gold – Isn’t it interesting how life has a way of reminding us of what is truly important in the world we live in.
Shane,
I know. I just received my own wake-up call on Sunday. It feels a lot like the Universe grabs me by the shoulders and says, “Quit yer bitchin’ girl. Look at where you could be. Now get back to work, cuz you’re doing fine.”
Thanks for this.
@Jesse: Hey there, Jesse. Good to see you again. Yeah, the messages come in the damnedest of ways.
Shane–Thank you for sharing that. I’m always thankful for those moments where we see into other people’s world–and witness their strengths and pains–to remind me we’re not alone in our muddling through life.
Worth remembering that that daddy is undoubtedly doing the best he can, too, maybe being tough as a way of helping out in his own funky way.
God bless to you and to them. And may tomorrow be sunnier.
@Kelly: I know. That guy probably loves that kid, but just let his emotion show as I have done with my own kid. Tough indeed. I sure hope it’s that and not a case where they guy is embarassed and always harping on the poor kid.
Shane–Absolutely. Everybody’s done it, because everybody’s got their own trials, and sometimes, that’s all it takes to remind you that it might not be such a bad day, just a bad case of being 100% human, eh?
@Kelly: Well said. Well said, indeed.
As a mother of a child with special needs, I fully understand the frustrations we face every so often. There are just some days when we can’t figure it out, even if we’re trying our best. Thanks for sharing this.
@MZ: Thanks for commenting. We shall all need to be strong.
ouch… compassion!
@Shane-one of my life’s mantras is Walk in someone else’s shoes. When there is online snarkiness and other attacks, I want to ask the person, do you really know anything about this person you are attacking? We are so quick to judge or focus on our own problems, we often fail to see that, yes, it could be worse, and for many, it is.
Thanks for sharing your personal journey.
@Cathy: Thank YOU.