During a time when prejudice and judgement are just as prevalent as an iPhone, I thought it would be the perfect time to bring attention to a few individuals who fill this world up with a kind of light and laughter that would benefit the entire world. I recently saw that the A&E network began broadcasting a new reality series called, "Born This Way," documenting the lives of a few individuals with Down Syndrome or other intellectual disabilities. I decided to give the show a chance and was pleasant to see the same level of humanity in this broadcast as the level of joy I have encountered within these individuals during my own lifetime.
One of the stars of the show has a certain catch phrase that he uses when individuals ask about his opinion of his disability. His response?
"Some call it Down Syndrome, but I call it Up Syndrome! I have an extra chromosome in me, but I also have a big heart."
"Born This Way" gives a perfect depiction of how those with special needs live their daily lives; lives that are incredibly similar to you and me. Their days are filled with work, relationships, tears, laughter, and family. Turn on your television and tune in! You will not regret it. If you don't want to open your eyes and arms to these individuals then at least tune in to watch the drama unfold. Sometimes the lives of these individuals read more like a soap opera sitcom than an docu-drama.
Many people feel uncomfortable around those with disabilities because there is a certain fear of the unknown. Be not afraid! People with intellectual disabilities view the world in color and with a humor that is infectious. They are smart and know how to get what they want which I admire. These individuals care about the world and the people in it with an interest in similarities rather than differences. What's one of their most enviable characteristics? Those with special needs live without inhibitions and speak with an honesty that many people can only dream of having in their lifetime. They are brave and many of them are my friends.
Having spent a large portion of my life devoting my time to the Special Olympics, I have been changed by those individuals with special needs and my hope is that my impact on them has been as great as their impact on me. I care deeply about the well-being of these individuals and the group that I spent seven years with are more like family than friends. I know their tricks, what makes them laugh, what makes them cry, and being their swim coach, I know which events to enter them in for their championship.
My time working with the Special Olympics has opened my heart to those who I would initially view as different. I am no longer afraid of the unknown, of people who are different than me. Why? I learned that often times, our similarities are more plentiful than our differences. During my time in South Africa, for example, I stayed overnight with a woman who lived in a local township. Now, this woman had experienced the violence of Apartheid, lost her husband, watched a gang of young men shoot her son, experiences that I would never have in my lifetime. Yet, all she wanted to talk about was whether or not I had a boyfriend using that as a segue to tell me all about her strapping young policeman/boyfriend. At the end of the day, we are all human sharing many of the same problems, dreaming many of the same dreams, hoping for a better day to come.
Today, many people categorize others based on their differences and if I could contribute in any way to ridding the world of judgement, I would be able to die happy. Racism, Islamophobia, body shaming, you name it, a lot of the time define the way we, as individuals, judge others who are different. I am guilty of it, but I also have been judged for being different, too. So, how about we put a rest to that and just focus on the ways we are the same rather than how we are different. Just try it out.
I know...I sound like that over-emotional girl "who doesn't even go here" from Mean Girls. But hey look at the bright side! Even if Donald Trump wins the Republican nomination, we'll still have a reason to smile at the end of the day!
Here's the link to "Born This Way" if anyone wants to check it out, as well as the link to the Special Olympics if anyone wants to get involved somehow with the organization:
http://www.aetv.com/shows/born-this-way
https://www.specialolympics.org/
