Just my thoughts

As many of you know, I work a nonprofit agency that helps children and adults with disabilities of all kinds, learn to become more independent and productive. Some of them grow up to work in the community, other's abilities are so severe that they are unable to live normal lives as productive adults. At the beginning of each year we gear up to hold annual meetings with our clients and their parents/caretakers. This is always a great time reconnect with their parents and also gives us the opportunity to encourage the clients in front of their parents and for their parents to be encouraged themselves that their kids are doing well. Along with the great things that happen at these meetings, the parents normally will use this time to discuss with me how difficult and stressful it is to "raise" an adult with a disability. Most of the families are single parents that are poor. With only one income and $579 a month from SSI, you can imagine what the financial difficulties that these families face every day. I use the word "raise", because unlike adults without disabilities, our adults are being reared by someone for their entire lives. Their parents are burdened with their disability as well. A normal 5 year old can write their name and probably the names of others important people in their lives. I have 2 clients that have been trying to learn to write their name for over 50 years. In reality, they will never learn to write their names. I cannot imagine having a child that lives with you for the rest of your life and then having to make plans for their care after your life is over.
Along with this burden their are so many blessings. These adults teach me every day how to love people of all kinds with out holding back. I have never seen a person carry another's struggle and pain like our adults do. They teach me to be more like Jesus. They fight like 2 year olds, but love like our father. They say the most ridiculous things, but are always the first people of my day to tell me how nice I look. When I get to work, there is a line at my door of all these people that just want to say good morning and ask me what I ate for dinner last night. They are precious people and I am blessed to be able to work with such a special population.