Our Inspiration

Typically on Monday morning I search out and try to find the perfect quote to start my week out just right. The quote is something that goes along with my mood. Dealing with special needs sometimes means that you have HIGH highs and LOW lows. As someone who strives on planning things well and organizing my life this is something that doesn't sit well with me. You want to know how to shake up my internal emotions? Put me on this roller coater....It is truly a struggle sometimes.

My Monday motivational quotes help keep me on the right track. Today as I was trying to find the right motivation, I can't help but to think of something that happened on Thursday of last week.

There is a little boy that goes to school with my little M. We have heard stories about him for years. At first it was just stories about a little boy that got a walker and took off walking in it. He then fell down and became very afraid of walking. We didn't know his name at this point, because the stories were coming from his therapists and they couldn't share his name for medical reasons. Then my little M took off walking in the same fashion. She got her walker and next thing we new she had her new found freedom. We were off to the races...Literally. I had to run everywhere to keep up with her. You know what is odd? Have you ever thought about what a baby sees when you carry them? Think about it....they have to see things at our speed, they see it from our level, if something catches their eye, they can't stop and check it out. Well I carried my daughter around for about 3 years, never once thinking about what the experience was like for her. Then we got the walker, and for the first time, I let her explore at her speed. The first thing that struck me, was when she walked up to a car tire and stared at it. She reached out and touched it. Then she walked over to the rose bush that I had walked past every day for 3 years and checked it out. We took a walk around the block and saw cats, bushes, flowers, and gutters with water in them. It was then that I realized, up until this point, her life was going at my speed. It was exciting for both of us as she started to explore things at her speed and level.

Back to my story about this little boy...this year when we started preschool we had the honor of being in his class. It is funny because I felt like I already knew him. I had heard all of his triumphant stories and how he had overcome some of his obstacles and now we get to be in the same class. He is a VERY happy little boy, an inspiration to MY family. I saw his Mom leaving the school and stopped to speak with her and share with her how much her son has influenced my family. I shared with her that my daughter follows his path. She was a very passionate mother as she spoke about her son. She told me about how her son's grandfather recently asked when his grandson was going to run. He said "he is always left behind when the other boys go off running around", The Mom said he would run when he was ready to run. Then one day he took off running. She said they don't pressure him to do things, they just support him with what he is doing. She said he would eventually do everything he wanted, on his own time schedule, not ours. She also said not to worry about my little M. She said M would do what she wanted when it was the right time for her.

Her words were very inspirational since we have followed this little boys path for quite some time now.

I'm not sure if this counts for a Monday Motivation or not, but it is very motivational for me.

IN THE SPIRIT OF MY FEELINGS TODAY, I FOUND THIS FANTASTIC QUOTE:

Albert Schweitzer:
At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person.Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.