Feel good moment...

I love it when life or like I prefer to believe, God, presents you with a moment in time that just feels good. A moment where you are truly happy, where you are completely affected and it's for the better. I had such a moment the other day, it was a blessing for me.

A little back tracking (sorry, this might be a long post!) to this is my experience (which isn't a ton) and my appreciation for people with Special Needs. As a child, I went to an elementary school that was pretty forward in it's thinking (remember, this is back in the 60's..sheesh, here I go admitting my age! LOL) and our mentally challenged students or those that were in Special Education, were actually mainstreamed into our classrooms. Schools back in the day tended to keep those students in separate classrooms, away from the general population I guess you could say. Anyway, our school did not, like I said, they were mainstreamed with all of us. I was in 3rd grade and a boy with special needs, Keith (I'll never forget his name) took a liking to me. In his sweet way of showing me just how much he liked me, he picked me up in the hallway (Keith was a very big boy..big in stature...like a linebacker for the Bears! LOL) and threw me into the wall at the end of said hallway! I was terrified! Not of his disabilities but because some boy had just tossed me into a wall! Everyone (my parents, principal, teacher, Special Education coordinator, and me even) met to explain just why this had happened to me and that it wasn't meant to hurt me, but to show affection towards me. Of course, we were told it would never happen again! It was a most enlightening moment for me, to realize how differently Keith thought, and reacted, and it was the first time I realized that he was "special" (to that point I don't really remember thinking much of the special education kids). I think it was around that time too that I entertained the idea of becoming a Special Education teacher.

My high school did the same thing, mainstreaming of special education students into regular classrooms. However, there were a few students whose needs were so severe that they did remain in a Special Education wing in our school, not getting into the regular population much. As a junior and senior in high school, I volunteered in that wing a couple days a week, helping those students with schoolwork, or just help in any area they needed...tying shoes, holding books, basic life skills as well...again, furthering my desire to work with people of disablilites.

Sadly, I met up with some friends and my plans for life changed. I wanted to do other things and the idea of a teacher kinda went out the window. I have, however, always had an appreciation for individuals that have been handed disabilites that make life a struggle for them. I have the utmost respect for people who devote their lives to working with mentally disabled people, I really believe it takes a very special soul to do that kind of work.

Okay, now for my moment. I hope I'm not building this up too much (hee hee)..I was driving to the store, using what is a very busy road to get there. I mean busy, busy, busy road...always full of traffic, speed limits of between 45 and 50 miles an hour, the road I take everyday to get to the grocery store, Starbucks, Archiver's, the Antique Center, you name it! I was stopped at a red light, surrounded by tons of cars and I looked over to my right. There are the light, waiting to cross this busy street, was a young man I recognized (a man in his mid to late 20's) as the guy who almost always bags my groceries at the store. He is always very pleasant, bags them well (you know, not putting bread on the bottom, not filling them to heavy LOL) and even won a couple medals in our most recent Special Olympics. He was standing at this light with his headphones on, his mp3 player in hand and was singing at the top of his lungs! He was belting out his tunes like he was in a concert arena, every once in a while adding in a little dance move to boot! Watching him, live in the moment, enjoying himself and his music and obviously not caring one bit what anyone thought of him made me smile. It made me smile so that I couldn't stop smiling! I wasn't laughing at him, I was heart warmed by him. He made me feel good. I sat there mesmerized by him, thinking that this is how we all should enjoy the moment. I actually looked around at the neighboring cars to see other peoples reactions to him and sadly, it appeared like no one else even noticed him. Their loss. How can it be that people don't see something as wonderful as this?

The light changed, he walked away and I drove off. I drove off with a smile still on my face and as I type this and remember that moment, I feel the corners of my mouth turning up to a smile.

I thank whatever it was that intervened in my life that day, to show me something sweet and make me feel good. I wish I could have moments like that every day, to remind me just how special life is!

Until next time,
Blessings!