Monday, April 5, 2010

The Power Of The One

This is my first Blog try and I’m not sure how it works, but here goes.

I am the mother of 5 (plus one we raised that count making it 6) with 11 grandchildren. Today my thoughts are directed toward our youngest daughter. She is 30 and has Downs Syndrome, but that isn’t what makes her so unique.

Cyd is just about the coolest person on the planet. She has a job, lives in an apartment she shares with one of her older sisters, and has a boyfriend. But those aren’t the things that make her so unique; it’s that she doesn’t let her disability and the systems she has to work within control her. Now it is important to say that she doesn’t do it alone, but it is important to say she helps to make the system work for her.

She went away from home for 3 years and lived on campus at a small Junior College. They gave her a degree in Community Living, as well as, letting her walk with her graduating class. She has continued to be involved with all her roommates. When she moved home she developed blood clots and was in the hospital and kept in a coma for 25 days and when they said she couldn’t go home on day 28 of her hospital stay because she couldn’t walk, she got up and walked the halls 3 times. On day 29 she walked up and down stairs, and on day 30 they let her come home. She is so determined!

This is only one example of how strong her will is to be accepted and be just like you. That determination also makes me wonder about other individuals who face discrimination on a regular basses who want nothing more than to be accepted and are just like you. If we don’t all stand together for each other we stand against each other. We are a proud nation that talks about the power of the one. If we forget we are a nation of all, we will soon forget about the one and loose what we stand for.

I am determined to put my energy behind "VOICE OF CHANGE" and look forward to making a difference.

Sherilin Rowley

2 comments: