Be Thou an Example of Believers
I was very touched when I saw this video on You Tube, mostly because I always hope for people to “GET IT” when it comes to understanding other’s with disabilities. This video was a great example of how the youth can have a very powerful voice in a word of competition, and sports. It is wonderful to see good deeds, and compassion come in to play in an important moment in a girls life.
This video is and example of what I have tried to focus on in my business and also in my life as a mother and advocate for those with disabilities. Tanner and I have spoken many times of the moments that are given to people to make a choice, to be compassionate and understanding about a person’s disability, or make the choice to turn away or make fun of someone because of their disability. Everyone has a choice on how they will react. I wonder how many of us have thought through the complete experience of “What will I do if this situation every presented itself?”
Although I am focusing on the aspect of a person with a disability, this principle of extending empathy and compassion to another human being doesn’t just apply to those with a disability. It can apply in a normal life circumstance to any other person we come into contact with; whether that is an elderly person, child, or another adult. You need to ask your self, what should I do?
Tanner and I have spent many hours role playing and talking about how to handle different situations. Tanner was very aware that once it was public about his Tourette’s Syndrome, and his tics, he would have situations he would need to address with other people. He had a choice at that moment as well. He could choose to be angry and defensive about their comments, or he could choose to make the situation benefit him and create an opportunity for someone else to understand what he had to deal with on a daily basis. Tanner chose the road of humor, joking about his tics, to lighten moments, and fend off the teasing. He chose to not be offended, by those who didn’t understand. It didn’t always work the way we have practiced, and sometimes there were those kids who just didn’t know when to quit, and feelings got hurt. However, I think the triumph of knowing he can be a winner, and make a difference always come to play out in the end.
Tanner and I would role play situations that came up often, usually on the bus, or often in the hallways, when the pressure was on the most. Isn’t that when bullies seem to want to get their attention is in front of a large crowd? The benefit of practicing the response is that you are prepared when the attack comes. Tanner had one particular kid who bugged him constantly in 6th grade about his head twitching tic. It was a tic that was most annoying to Tanner, because by the end of the day, his neck would ache and his muscles hurt, and he just wanted to stop and hold his head still for relief. This particular boy, would come up in the hall, and mimic Tanner’s tic, and call out Tanner’s name. Tanner came up with the response, to walk up to the kid, and say, “Hey, if you are wanting to be cool like me, you need to twitch your head like this, got it? and then add this little jerk into it, and then do that for the next 8 hours, and see how your neck feels. Remember you can’t stop it, because it’s a tic. It has to be constantly. Try it out! Let’s see if you have what it take to have Tourette’s Syndrome!” and Tanner walked away. The kids in the hall looked at the bully and gave him a bad time, and Tanner didn’t have an issue with that particular boy again.
There have been talks about boundaries and limits, and events where I know a principal was smart enough to pull another bully in his office, and tell him that he crossed the line, with his teasing there were certain things that were okay, and teasing about something someone had no control over was off limits. I think this applies in many situations whether it is teasing an overweight girl or boy, or making fun of someone on your team that isn’t as good as you. I would hope that parents and mentors everywhere would want their children to be kind and gracious like the kids were to Brittany at Syracuse High School, being kind in word thought and deed. Truly in the end, isn’t is all about wanting to feel loved and needed in our life, and making a difference for good.
The next time you are standing in a line or out in public, take a look around you and see what kind of a difference for good you can make in a person’s life. It doesn’t have to be a life changing event, just maybe try to hold the door open for someone coming through, say an extra please or thank you so much for your help. You could even try to smile or look someone in the eye when you speak, send an email to someone you haven’t spoken to for a while, or make a phone call, stop yourself before you make a sarcastic comment about some one’s idiosyncrasy.
How does this apply to FAO Baskets, we have seen some very thoughtful people. This week I have send and delivered several items for clients, as a get well from a neighborhood of friends to another, who just went through surgery. Another sent an apology for messing up an appointment that was scheduled, and most touching was a candy bouquet, shipped to a friend who was going through a rough time. All are examples of unselfish people trying to make a difference in another’s life. Thank you for allowing FAO Basket Co the opportunity to assist in those thoughtful moments.
