The genius of Down syndrome

Really, truly, what does one say to that?

Dancing On The Box.

Anyone who thinks people with Down syndrome (or other developmental disabilities) are not smart, needs to think again.

Some of the most intelligent and insightful remarks made in this family have been made by the people who have "labels". 

Patrick - my middle child and only boy - has Down syndrome. He has been known to come up with some brilliant things. Things that at first glance may seem wrong but - on closer inspection - border on genius.

I recall a speech language therapy session when Patrick was about 4 years old. We - Patrick, the Speech-Language Therapist Elise and I - were working on the concept of Similarities and Differences. Patrick worked on a worksheet. Down the left hand side of the paper were pictures of objects. Patrick's task was to describe an aspect of those objects. On the right hand side of the paper were pictures of three corresponding objects. Patrick was to pick the one that had a similarity to the object on the left. He was winging his way through it. Clearly, he had the concept down pat.

Until the last grouping. On the left, Patrick easily identified a picture of leaves. Just as easily identified that leaves grow on trees. Off to the right were pictures of an apple, candy and an egg. Elise prompted - "Patrick, which of these also grows on trees?" Patrick pointed.

At the egg. 

Elise quickly covered her dismay with encouragement - "Patrick, use your words to tell us which of these also grows on trees... the APPLE, the candy or the egg?" Supremely confident, Patrick pointed to the egg and announced "the egg!"

I felt my stomach drop. Elise stopped hiding her dismay. She pulled back, made a face and said "Patrick! Eggs don't grow on trees!"

Patrick considered her with a look normally reserved for those we pity. He cupped his baby fat hands and explained - 

"Yes. In the nest." 

My son doesn't just think outside the box...he dances on it.

I didn't think I'd write a post today

I didn't think I'd write a post today. It was kind of a "free day" for me. My sister Paula took the day off and planned a trip to Peggy's Cove. Dad would stay with my brother-in-law Larry and nephew Colin.
I wasn't expecting any life-altering or deep thoughts in my tourist--sightseeing day. I was expecting a great, fun day with my sister. I got that.

Before we hit Peggy's Cove, we stopped at the memorial for Swissair 111. I was impressed with the simple shell-shaped granite slabs that marked the lives lost. Beautiful, fitting.

And then the Cove.

Aside from the picture-perfect village and slightly picture-weary lighthouse, there was granite. Astounding waves of granite. Granite that has withstood the ravages of time, glaciers, millions of tourists and the continuous pounding of the Atlantic.

And while at first glance the granite looks solid, on closer inspection, scratches and fissures - faults - can be seen.

I started thinking that all of those fissures started out as small nicks left behind by massive glaciers. Time and other natural stresses made them bigger and bigger to the point where some threaten to break the unbreakable rock in two.

And then, in the midst of the expanse of grey, I caught sight of a small wisp of green. Walked closer and sure enough, three blades of grass were blowing in the wind. There was grass growing on solid rock.

No, there was grass growing in the crack in solid rock.

Pretty much the premise of my little blog. So many things can be seen as cracks, fissures, faults in our lives. The A, B, C, Ds (Alzheimer's, Breast Cancer, Down syndrome) in the title can be seen as threats to the constancy and solidity of my life. But they are also opportunities for growth.

I'm rooting (pun intended) for those three blades of grass.