Thursday, December 9, 2010

Day 10: Down Right Beautiful!

Once in my younger years, a stranger in passing whispered to the woman she was walking with, "I wonder if that girl has some kind of genetic thing?" I immediately knew they were referring to the unusual way my nose is shaped, with the nonexistent bridge between my eyes, so it makes a curved "scoop" down to the bulbous tip... I remember having a heavy heart about that off-handed comment that I wasn't supposed to overhear or even understand for quite some time. My nose was a very tender subject for me; one that I was teased about at home and at school. Though I knew my family meant well and the "teasing" was more of a way to try to make me feel better about myself, my school-mates didn't shrare their affection. Their taunts and remarks were more of the brutal kind. And many a well-meaning parent looked at me through squinty eyes before realizing that they had been staring, only to shrug it off and go about their business.



a young Emily with her 'Papa'

I hit a turning point in junior high when, after a heart to heart with one of my still close girlfriends, I realized that my nose - was just a nose. I could let it bother me the rest of my life, or I could embrace it. I started to notice all of the ways that I stood out from those around me, and the differences made me... happy. Almost proud. If I wasn't going to "fit in" I planned on "sticking out" to the best of my ability. I was unique; no one else had a nose that looked like mine. Thats when the closeted extrovert in me got to crack open the door a little. I made some new friends, I joined a few clubs. It all seemed pretty easy then, once I learned that being liked meant I had to like myself first. Thats not to say that I wasn't still met with those who were uncomfortable with my strange appearance. And I still heard some hurtful things that would set me back a little. But there was no turning back now. I liked the way it felt to accept myself, even if some others out right refused to agree.



In high school I joined the dance team, where the Angel that was our dance instructor encouraged us to reach out, volunteer, get outside of our comfort bubbles. I took the challenge with an eager heart. We took trips to the Union Gospel Mission to visit the children, and community service was a requirement of being a member of the team. My junior year I volunteered to help with a project with the Discovery class of special needs students. I walked into a classroom that was full of excited, smiling, exuberant students. They all greeted me with an enthusiastic "Nice to meet you!" and I made about 8 immediate friends! After the project was completed, I visited with my new pals as often as possible. I would stop by their classroom to see what new things they were learning, and some would call to me down the hallway to wish me a good afternoon.

Once in a group conversation at lunch I was asked why I "got involved with those other kids". My response was "Why not?" The asker of the question was known for being a particularly 'loud mouthed' student, of whom I had made some attempts to befriend. Their constant negativity brought me down, and so I intentionally limited our interactions. Those other kids were my friends, what did it matter to why I got 'involved'? This person, I quickly assumed, was another of those that wasn't comfortable with the different or unique. And then it dawned on me, perhaps this nay-sayer was an old me. Maybe there was something they hadn't come to accept about themselves. My visions of this person being hateful were turned into seeing that they just needed to learn to love themselves. Then they might be able to love even the other kids. After that point I quit trying to avoid them, to trying to at least make peace with them. If only to show that I was different, and I accepted that fact, and that it was all going to be ok. When we graduated, we were still just acquintances. We hadn't become bosom buddies, but I had hopes that maybe I helped them in some small way.

Since those days, I've been blessed to make some awesome new friends. My husband and I had no idea when we bought our house after we were married, that we had hit the neighbor jackpot!! Little did we know that just across the street were 4 souls waiting to touch our lives. (and a few years after we moved in, a 5th little soul tip-toed her way into our hearts) The 'K' crew, as we so affectionately refer to them, have taught us so much about acceptance, life and more in the 5 short years we've come to know - and love - them. We've shared triumphs, as well as hopes and fears and dreams. And laughs. Oh, so many great laughs.


Kare-Bear, Koltie and K-Mo

Down Right Beautiful!
 Those beautiful babies' Mommy blogs over at Welcome to my world... where she shares her darling son's prayer and the wonderful workings of his amazing heart.

The National Down Syndrome Society's website offers this: "[The NDSS] envisions a world in which all people with Down Syndrome have the opportunity to enhance their quality of life, realize their life aspirations, and become valued members of welcoming communities."

That precious angel of a child, as well as his whole family has taught me to realize some of my life's aspirations. They have most definitely enhanced my quality of life and have made my husband, son and myself feel like valued members of our little, close knit community of neighboring houses. We were blessed beyond belief to have been given the opportunity to be a part of their lives, as they are a part of ours.

I so look forward to more Beautiful moments with the best neighbors that anyone could ever ask for!

4 comments:

  1. Emily-I could have never imagined that God would place you and your lil family into our lives. What a blessing it has been since that day. I am so very thankful for you and Justin and the friendship we all share. I am thankful that my children have such a beautiful woman in their lives that love them as her own. You love, you endure, you brighten, you accept my son for all of his beautiful qualities. And I am ever so grateful for that. We love you Emmy!!!

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  2. Emily, I've always told you how beautiful you are and think I've offered to threaten a few young girls over the years for their hurtful comments. We all have a little something unique and I'm thankful for it as well. You are beautiful inside as well as outside which shows here in your blog. Your forgiving nature and abilty to see something differently than the world sees it is a gift and I love you for it all!!

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  3. Emily, I feel lucky to have known you for so long and been able to see you transform into the confident woman you are today. I remember the days of hurtful comments and the tears that we both shared many times because kids can be very mean. Instead of turning on others and sheltering yourself, you found the light within yourself that brightens everyone's world you enter into. Learning to take the negative and turning it positive is what so many need to learn, don't ever stop teaching that to others. Love you and always will!

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  4. You are a beautiful person, inside and out, and this is a beautiful post! Any suffering we are born to endure leads to revelations we might not have had otherwise....you have always been an "old" soul - wise beyond your years! Much love, sister.

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