LEARN 20

I watched a beautiful interview today, with Tara McCallan.  Tara's daughter, Pip, was born with Down's Syndrome. 

Tara celebrates her daughter's beauty on her blog Happy Soul Project.

My cousin Todd had Down's Syndrome.  He had his own special place in my heart and when he died in May, 2008, I really didn't know how to deal with it.  I got up and gave a speech at his funeral, crying, no, SOBBING the entire time.  I couldn't catch my breath.  I had no idea I was going to do it until all of a sudden I found myself standing up, crying.  I struggled to put into words how absolutely wonderful he was, what he brought into my life...

This post is supposed to be about what I've LEARNed, but I want to take a different direction today.

I want you to watch Tara's interview, see that beautiful baby girl, and LEARN to celebrate every different kind of beauty, every unique difference that makes us each so very special and loved by God.  I'd love to see her billboard on the side of Route 3, or on Route 80, while I'm speeding through life...  a small reminder that beauty looks different on everyone.

My heart broke when Tara mentioned a day she went to pick her son up at day care and another little child there saw Pip with her eye bandaged up (she had had some surgery)  and said that Pip was a "gross baby," that she was "broken."  [His/her parents have a lot of teaching to do...]

My God.  When I think of Todd I remember how utterly filled with joy his life was.  How his spirit was simply and truly "love."  He was always happy.  I can joke about how he never had to worry about taxes, or politics, etc., but the truth is he just wrung complete joy out of every minute of his life.

We should all LEARN from him.  Miss you, Todd!  And thanks, Tara and Pip!