Something to think about

Since I'm wide awake (see previous post) I figured I should take a minute while its somewhat quiet to write about something that has been weighing heavily on my heart. EVERY TIME I hear it I cringe. I've already shared my feelings with a few people hoping to educate them and now I'm letting the world know. (or at least my blog followers) I expect that many wont understand or see what the big deal is, but just read my feelings and possibly try to understand.

I HATE the word retard or retarded. It is now used in everyday language. How many times have you heard someone else or yourself say, "you're retarded, that's retarded, he/she's retarded, I'm retarded"?? I know growing up I said it. I also remember my mom telling me not to do it. I didn't understand what the big deal was. Well fast forward about 10-20 years and I finally understood. I learned it firsthand.

Did you know that one of the diagnosis Dylan had in order to get services was Mental Retardation?? It's a medical term but society has made it a derogatory term or word. I don't like that it was one of the many diagnosis's he had, probably because I know how cruel the world can be.

I'm not sure if I ever posted about this incident before but it makes me sick. One day about 7-8 years ago, Kalen took Dylan to the grocery store. Dylan was pretty little. Kalen was proudly pushing Dylan in his wheelchair, since Dylan didn't have the muscle strength to sit in a shopping cart. Well he went to one of the many grocery stores that surrounds our home. It was a short list because its nearly IMPOSSIBLE, to push a wheelchair and shopping cart at the same time. I've done it, so I know how INCREDIBLY difficult it can be. Anyhow....Kalen went to the end display to pick up some bagels. It was "around" the corner of the isle where he left Dylan. Let me state that Kalen could still see Dylan. Two guys (high school/college age) came up to Dylan and were poking at him and saying, "look at the @*•@ing retard". Dylan started screaming. Kalen became infuriated and once those high school/college kids saw Kalen with a loaf of French bread (closest thing he could grab) in his hand they ran out of the store. What kind of person does that to anyone, especially a child??? Dylan was about 1 1/2 when this happened. That's Isabella's age in a few days.

I've learned that people can be cruel and hurtful. I also know that people can be kind and loving. I know that those that use the "R" word, probably have no clue how inappropriate and hurtful it is. My hope is that "good" will prevail the "evil" - the rudeness, the unkindness, the discrimination and it will be replaced with a new found level of love and kindness.

I was reading on one of the blogs I follow about her feelings about the use of the word retard. You can find her post here. It's about halfway through her post. I LOVE how she expresses her feelings, much better than me. Please read her post.

So I ask, just as Kelle did on her blog, remove the word "retard" and "retarded" from yours and your family's vocabulary ASAP.

Be kind and gentle to ALL those around you! I just don't understand how anyone could be mean to my sweet little boy who was different.....




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