It's Friday morning of a tough week. I dragged myself out of bed this morning, plopped myself down in front of the computer and called up blogger. I've been here for almost 10 minutes staring out the window. There's something wrong with having to go to work every day. There's something wrong with having to paste on a smile and earning my daily multigrain, low-fat, high fiber bread. Normally, when things are like this I reach down into the slop pail I keep behind my heart and pull out some hope. Give me a second ... OK ... here's what I dragged out today.
1) I hope that it will make just a tiny bit of difference in the grand scheme of things that I go into the office today - I'm meeting with the abuse prevention team, the self advocacy team and the relationship training team. So I suspect it might.
2) I hope that that guy with Down Syndrome with the huge grin will be there when I get in in the morning. He never says 'hi' but he waves and his eyes twinkle and there's something about him I really like.
3) I hope that I can avoid stepping in political shit for a whole day, working with people with disabilities is fun and rewarding, working with people who work with people with disabilities is fraught with danger.
4) I hope that on the drive down there Joe doesn't say, "Did I tell you about ..." because after 38 years, he has.
5) I hope that when we leave work and go shopping, I go the whole day without hearing the word 'r*tard' even once.
6) I hope that the woman at Tim Horton's who looks like her face could turn you to stone, cracks today and smiles. We've had a contest for over a year about who could make her smile. I hope I win and I hope her faces cracks but does not break.
7) I hope that I get a chance on the way home to get out of the car and practice more with my new wheelchair. I sit a little differently in it and I'm still learning the best push strokes. I'm thinking of excuses to go shopping.
8) I hope that our neighbour, the kind of weird one, isn't out front staring at us disapprovingly as we leave like she does most mornings.
9) I hope I have time for one silly internet search today. Like yesterday I tried to find the words for the song 'up on cripple creek' ... because that's where I was yesterday.
10) I hope I manage to be nice most of the time, thoughtful come of the time and kind all the time.
OK, I've put the pail back and now it's time to haul butt into the shower, into clothing, into car and go. Here's an eleventh ... one just for you ...
11) I hope that you have a day filled with hope too ...
Well, reading your posts makes my day every day. I "hope" you never stop writing.
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
I hope you have the kind of day that at the end of it, you say, "This was a very good day".
ReplyDeleteAnd I hope that tomorrow is better.
Every morning as I settle at my desk I pull up your blog and Amanda's blog. In general, I just read and absorb and think a bit - it gets me ready to look at the rest of the day. (It also keeps me honest with myself - and how I'm addressing my own adjustments.) I suspect that there are many of us out here that appreciate the time you take and the thoughts you express. We don't thank you enough - I certainly tend to simply lurk rather than respond - but I hope you know that your energy is well placed and definitely adding creatively to a lot of lives that are well beyond your immediate circle of awareness. Thanks-
ReplyDeletethis was awesome, you inspired me to do the same!
ReplyDeleteOh man, I LOVE that song!!! :)
ReplyDelete"Up on Cripple Creek
she sends me
If I spring a leak
she mends me
I don't have to speak
she defends me
A drunkard's dream
if I ever did see one"
My son has DS and your blog always makes me smile. Thank you!
Hope your day was lovely.
Thanks for helping me keep the hope alive - and for being you!
ReplyDelete