Do you ever have those moments where complete strangers can touch your heart, without even speaking to you? Yesterday I had one of those moments and I haven't been able to stop thinking about how deeply one particular family has affected my outlook. One of my many jobs at the moment is at a theme park. One of my favorite aspects of this job is being able to connect with a wide range of people on such a human level. Now, this connection usually happens by speaking with people about the world and how we all share it. But yesterday didn't even take words.
I've always admired the strength of parents and family who raise special needs children and care for their children long term, even into adulthood. And although I commend these parents from afar, we rarely seem to cross paths. Yesterday, as I was walking around the sea lion and seal exhibit discussing the animals with guests, I was stopped by the image of what initially looked like the perfect, all-American family. A salt and pepper dad wearing a comfortable polo shirt and a caring smile walked beside his wife, a trim, dark-haired woman with warm features and a gentle strand of pearls around her neck. The wife carried a tray of fish to feed the animals while the husband pushed their teenage son around in a wheelchair. The child, soon-to-be man, was a smiling boy with an arched back and a summery buzz haircut. For a moment I thought he almost looked out of place in this otherwise perfect family, until I saw his father help him out of the wheelchair and the boy slowly walked to the wall. The polo-clad man handed his son the tray of fish, and placed a hand on his back, just as a father would after a baseball game. The mother looked on as she directed a camera at the duo, smiling all the while, looking at her son the same way that my mother looked at me during my high school graduation. The son was so excited as he tossed each fish in. His joy was passed onto each of his parents as they watched their child in this small moment of accomplishment. As the family was caught in this moment of pure joy, I was entranced. My sunglasses definitely came in handy, as a single tear slid down my cheek. They looked so happy. So unbelievably, genuinely happy. I looked around at the other kids his age, captivated by their cell-phones and ipods, largely disconnected from their families, and felt a sense of longing and admiration for this family that displayed so much love. The world describes raising a special needs child as challenge; a feat only to be tackled by people with enough time and patience for the task at hand. Some people even think of it as a curse, asking "why me, God?" or "poor thing." But it's not. Having a family with that much love is a blessing that can only come from the appreciation of knowing how fine a treasure life is. The joy that this family emitted serves as a model after which I hope to someday build my own family after, and a powerful a reminder of the amazing impact we all have on each other, whether we realize it or not.
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