I am privileged
So, just fyi, this has nothing to do with breast cancer or any of that stuff (although I do want to say that yesterday was my 6 month surgeversary {surgiversary, I have no idea how it's spelled})...
Tonight, on Fox news, they are running a story about a 13 year old girl named Hana Hwang. She has something called progeria, which makes her age 8-10 times faster than the rest of us. Imagine, dealing with arthritis and hardening of the arteries at such a young age. Anyway, she was at Children's Hospital LA a few months back due to pneumonia and Selena Gomez went to visit her. Well, she and her mother made a thank you video and posted it to you tube. I know it has over half a million hits. She's working on beading the whole time her mom is asking her questions. She was so upbeat. And you could see the light inside her spilling out. What a beautiful dynamo, all tucked into a body that stopped growing at 3 years old. Brought tears to my eyes and I haven't seen the newscast yet...
And here's where the privileged part comes in. Most of you know that I am a special education teacher. I prefer working with the little ones, and I was lucky enough to spend 8 of my 12 years of teaching working with preschoolers and kindergarteners with special needs. (This year too, when I finally get back in the classroom.) Children like Hana and a former student named Autumn are the ones that make me grateful to work with kids with special needs. They may not know how to interact with others. They may not talk. They may not be able to walk without using some kind of apparatus. The list goes on, especially when you work with kids with disabilities that include autism (all along the spectrum), Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, learning disabilities or speech delays... (and that's not an exhaustive list). They may exhibit challenging behaviors that disrupt the learning process for the entire class, but at the end of the day, these kids are my heroes. They face life head on and don't give a damn about their challenges. They light up a room when they enter and have the most beautiful smiles that reflect the light they carry inside.
Sometimes, I bitch and complain about things that really, in the end, are trivial. I don't necessarily feel bad about that. Let me explain. For me, venting (or the ability to do so) is a key component of my mental health. However, these children help me put things in perspective. You know, is this or that really worth being upset about? These kids live their lives as the definition of possibility. That reminds me that anything is possible with the right mindset, and I am grateful for the reminders. I need a lot of them. (Of course, this all is dependent on my remembering to think about something outside myself.)
Naturally, my heart goes out to their families. Their lives are not easy, especially when there are doctor appointments and interventionists coming and going several days a week, etc. I think, though, that these beautiful children are here to teach us. In fact, someone who works with Hana said Hana is her teacher, and I've felt like that.
And here is where the privilege comes from: I am privileged to work with these amazing kids and their families. That their parents trust me with their precious angels means so much. And for that I owe all the families I've worked with a giant thank you. Thank you for letting me teach your child. Thank you for working with me toward whatever is best for your son or daughter. Thank you for trusting me. Just thank you, for everything.
Hana, you don't know me, and Autumn, you may not remember me, but you have touched me. You are heroes.
Tonight, on Fox news, they are running a story about a 13 year old girl named Hana Hwang. She has something called progeria, which makes her age 8-10 times faster than the rest of us. Imagine, dealing with arthritis and hardening of the arteries at such a young age. Anyway, she was at Children's Hospital LA a few months back due to pneumonia and Selena Gomez went to visit her. Well, she and her mother made a thank you video and posted it to you tube. I know it has over half a million hits. She's working on beading the whole time her mom is asking her questions. She was so upbeat. And you could see the light inside her spilling out. What a beautiful dynamo, all tucked into a body that stopped growing at 3 years old. Brought tears to my eyes and I haven't seen the newscast yet...
And here's where the privileged part comes in. Most of you know that I am a special education teacher. I prefer working with the little ones, and I was lucky enough to spend 8 of my 12 years of teaching working with preschoolers and kindergarteners with special needs. (This year too, when I finally get back in the classroom.) Children like Hana and a former student named Autumn are the ones that make me grateful to work with kids with special needs. They may not know how to interact with others. They may not talk. They may not be able to walk without using some kind of apparatus. The list goes on, especially when you work with kids with disabilities that include autism (all along the spectrum), Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, learning disabilities or speech delays... (and that's not an exhaustive list). They may exhibit challenging behaviors that disrupt the learning process for the entire class, but at the end of the day, these kids are my heroes. They face life head on and don't give a damn about their challenges. They light up a room when they enter and have the most beautiful smiles that reflect the light they carry inside.
Sometimes, I bitch and complain about things that really, in the end, are trivial. I don't necessarily feel bad about that. Let me explain. For me, venting (or the ability to do so) is a key component of my mental health. However, these children help me put things in perspective. You know, is this or that really worth being upset about? These kids live their lives as the definition of possibility. That reminds me that anything is possible with the right mindset, and I am grateful for the reminders. I need a lot of them. (Of course, this all is dependent on my remembering to think about something outside myself.)
Naturally, my heart goes out to their families. Their lives are not easy, especially when there are doctor appointments and interventionists coming and going several days a week, etc. I think, though, that these beautiful children are here to teach us. In fact, someone who works with Hana said Hana is her teacher, and I've felt like that.
And here is where the privilege comes from: I am privileged to work with these amazing kids and their families. That their parents trust me with their precious angels means so much. And for that I owe all the families I've worked with a giant thank you. Thank you for letting me teach your child. Thank you for working with me toward whatever is best for your son or daughter. Thank you for trusting me. Just thank you, for everything.
Hana, you don't know me, and Autumn, you may not remember me, but you have touched me. You are heroes.