Beatitudes For Those With Disability

This photo and story have been making the rounds on facebook of late. It reminded me of my post from about a year ago, which I repeat below the story.

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I don't normally vent on here but I have to say something about how Alex was treated at his chorus concert tonight. First of all for those of you that don't know Alex has Cerebral Palsy and is in a wheel chair. I try to make sure that he is included in activities at school like chorus, and he love's it and gets so excited when he gets to go to special events. Tonight we go to a special event including several other schools where the kids all sing with their class's. So first we get there and their is no access for him to sit with his class mates because it is in the old gym and their is no wheel chair access. Then they call his school up to sing so Alex wheels his self up to the portable risers and waits on the side for Mr Graffstead to come and position him with the rest of the class...Well he never does!!! Next thing I know is the class starts singing and Alex is all by him self on the side of the risers like a spectator! The teacher has not even acknowledged him as part of the chorus...at this point I am soo mad that I can't see straight, if I thought that Alex wouldn't have been embarrassed I would have taken matters into my own hands.. But being the mother I am I don't want him to feel any different than the other kids...HA!!! SO they get finished and the teacher rises his hands and motions to the other children like here is the chorus and thank you...all the while Alex is by him self not even treated like he belongs!! I am soo mad at how the teacher didn't even think of Alex. As the teacher walks over my anger finally overtakes me and I walk up to Mr Grafstead and tell him that I have a big problem in the way he conducted the chorus and that he and the school will be hearing from me. I am attaching a photo so everyone can see just how isolated he was from the others... This is truly a travesty for the school system , I thought that my child was being treated equally all this time and he was not. Please think of all the kids and adults out there that deal with this kind of indifference. My heart is broken up over this and i hope I never have to witness this kind of neglect again!

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I have tried to learn something about the author to whom these are attributed but have been unsuccessful. Nor I have been able to find where they were originally published. If any of you know, dear Readers, please let me know.

I suspect the first six represent Chappell's original work since they use "you" as the object and the sixth is a summation. The remainder are attributed to her, but I think they may have another author. The next six use "those" as the object and have a slightly different construction. The thirteenth resembles none of the first twelve. You decide.

Regardless of authorship, each of these characterizes the way the world ought to be but usually isn't. I've added two more that I came across in my search, but I'm not sure they are as well done as the earlier ones.

TGB   

Blessed are you that never bids us "hurry up" and more blessed are you that do not snatch our tasks from our hands to do them for us, for often we need time rather than help.

Blessed are you who take time to listen to defective speech, for you help us to know that if we persevere, we can be understood.

Blessed are you who walk with us in public places and ignore the stares of strangers, for in your companionship we find havens of relaxation.

Blessed are you who stand beside us as we enter new ventures, for our failures will be outweighed by the times we surprise ourselves and you.

Blessed are you who ask for our help, for our greatest need is to be needed.

Blessed are you when by all these things, you assure us that the thing that makes us individuals is not our peculiar muscles, nor our wounded nervous system, but is the God-given self that no infirmity can confine.

Blessed are those who realize that I am human and don't expect me to be saintly just because I am disabled.

Blessed are those who pick things up without being asked.

Blessed are those who understand that sometimes I am weak and not just lazy.

Blessed are those who forget my disability of the body and see the shape of my soul.

Blessed are those who see me as a whole person, unique and complete, and not as a "half" and one of God's mistakes.

Blessed are those who love me just as I am without wondering what I might have been like.

Blessed are my friends on whom I depend, for they are the substance and joy of my life.

Marjorie Chappell        

Blessed are those who resist the need to tell me I'm not saintly, for I'm well aware of that.

Blessed are those who compliment me honestly, for they neither pity me nor feel the need to stroke my ego pointlessly.

Anonymous