| You wouldn't believe the website I found the other | | | | she walked a lot. |
| day. It was a free website made by a boy who has | | | | People have a severely wrong mindset. The more I |
| Down Syndrome. I was curious, so I clicked on it, and | | | | pay attention, the more I find people who want |
| was immediately in for a shock. Inside was the story | | | | things handed to them, people who look for any little |
| of a boy who had Down Syndrome who | | | | obstacle that makes things harder on them that they |
| rock-climbed, was an avid speed-skater, and played | | | | can use to get hand-outs from others and ask for an |
| sports like soccer and tennis. There were pictures of | | | | easier life. I keep seeing handicap tags on cars driven |
| him overcoming obstacles and competing with teams, | | | | by people under fifty, people who want a different |
| as well as a picture of the dozens of gold medals he | | | | set of standards applied to them so that they don't |
| had won in the Special Olympics. On his car he had a | | | | have to put forth as much effort. They want the |
| sticker that read "Powered by an extra | | | | easy road, and they want others to look at them as |
| chromosome!" | | | | handicapped, and I just don't understand this. The last |
| By this world's standards today, this boy would be | | | | thing I want to be is handicapped, and if I was, |
| considered very handicapped, and yet he was out | | | | there's no way I'd announce it to the world. |
| there participating in things that even I myself | | | | I've come to the conclusion that there are very few |
| couldn't do. This boy had more natural resolve and | | | | truly handicapped people. The only handicap I see is a |
| determination than most people I had ever met. All | | | | very poor mindset. That boy with Down Syndrome I |
| he knew was how to set the bar higher, create | | | | believe is one of the very least handicapped people |
| goals and accomplish them, despite how much work | | | | on the planet. There is nothing on this earth that isn't |
| or effort was needed on his part. Every day this boy | | | | available to him because he wants to earn things |
| worked to make sure there wasn't a person in this | | | | himself, and wants to prove to the rest of the world |
| world that would consider him handicapped, and that | | | | that he is an equally capable member of society. |
| despite what had been thrown his way, he could not | | | | There is a lesson here that the rest of the world can |
| just accomplish normal things, but exceptional things | | | | learn. All of these people that want things handed to |
| as well. | | | | them, who try to find ways that make them less |
| Just a few days later I took a trip to my local | | | | capable than everybody else need to wake up and |
| Wal-Mart. As I was about to make my way inside, I | | | | get some dignity. |
| noticed a car pulling into the closest space reserved | | | | I know that every single one of us is capable of |
| for handicapped people. The driver was a woman | | | | incredible and amazing things. Every day people are |
| who looked about thirty-five years old. She had the | | | | doing inspiring things just by simply being themselves |
| handicapped sticker, tag, the whole nine yards, and I | | | | and putting their all into everything they do. When a |
| was amazed as I saw her step out of her car | | | | person decides that there are no obstacles they can't |
| unaided and walk right past me into the store. She | | | | overcome, and that no one on this planet will ever |
| seemed to have little problem getting around, and | | | | see them as less capable than others, miracles |
| easily began searching through the shopping carts. It | | | | happen. That young man with Down Syndrome has |
| soon became obvious to her that what she was | | | | left me with a lasting and inspiring impression that |
| looking for was not there, and she confronted the | | | | makes me want to accomplish everything I dream of |
| greeter about. She asked for an electric cart, claiming | | | | to the very best of my abilities. When people look at |
| that her legs grew painful if she had to stand on | | | | me, I never want them to notice my shortcomings, |
| them for any length of time. The greeter, of course, | | | | but instead see my accomplishments, my abilities, and |
| had a cart brought to her immediately, and she drove | | | | all the incredible things that I am capable of. |
| on into the store with her purse sitting in the little | | | | I charge the rest of the world to get off of their |
| basket mounted on the front. | | | | butts and be the people that God made them to be. |
| This bothered me. Somewhere out there was a boy | | | | Right now there is a kid with Down Syndrome |
| who was born with an extra chromosome that made | | | | overcoming the odds and doing things that people |
| nearly everything in his life more difficult, and he was | | | | have for all his life told him he couldn't do, so why |
| probably somewhere riding a bike or jogging or | | | | can't anyone else? If you really care about yourself, |
| something. Nearly anything he wanted to do was | | | | stop asking what other people are going to do to |
| made more challenging by a natural birth defect, but | | | | make your life easier, and start finding ways to work |
| he persevered, and here was a woman who was a | | | | around your problems and overcome your obstacles. |
| normal person with a handicapped sticker, tag, | | | | The world will look at you differently, and you will be |
| parking space and scooter because her legs hurt if | | | | surprised at who you'll inspire. |