Hush

We hid the eggs long before anyone else was up. Some were put behind picture frames, others nestled behind dvd box sets, even others were in the cd rack. I dug four chocolate bunnies out of packaging and 8 chocolate chicks out of their cardboard coop - all the while trying not to think so much about what we were doing.

I hate "Chocolate Easter."

Always have.

Well, not always. Once I understood what Easter was I just didn't 'get' the bunny. Wasn't the story spectacular enough as it was?

So I don't eat them.

Can you imagine, a fat kid refusing to eat chocolate anythings? Well imagine it. I haven't touched one since I was seven or eight years old.

Yet here I was up early on Easter morning helping to hide eggs round the living room. Mike, Merrissa and baby Ruby were downstairs sleeping away. We wanted them to awake to the egg hunt. When we invited them up for Easter dinner there was a very broad hint that an Easter egg hunt would be fun. I can take a hint.

I kept my mouth shut, bought the eggs and helped plan the hunt.

Hours later all eggs were found - Mike found slightly more than Merrissa while baby Ruby looked on kind of wondering how her parents could be so competitive over chocolate eggs. I looked at her willing her to understand what she must learn ... 'it is what it is.'

Often I'm asked "What's the most important thing you've learned from working with people with disabilities?"

I think this is it ...

DAVE, IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU, SHUT UP.

So what that I don't like Easter eggs? So what that I find the Easter Bunny crass? So what?

I can have my Easter my way. I don't have to eat the damn things.

Because of the power given to my by my position, whatever position I held at whatever point in my career - direct care staff ... consultant ... trainer - I always had to remember that 'to serve means to shut up' much of the time. To keep my opinions to myself. To let someone else be the most powerful person in the room.

I've never once gotten indigestion from swallowing my tongue.

And I didn't yesterday. I watched them chow down on Easter eggs. I gently refused to have a bite - because of the sugar.

And it was good.

Simply because ...

IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU, SHUT UP.