On Wednesday 25 July 2007 19:23:15 Michael H. Collis wrote:
> Whoa, Kendall, you got mimed! Deri, can you translate this?
>
> Mike
>
Your wish is my command. Personally I'm trying to follow the Noble Eightfold
Path (nirvana for me next time round chums).
==========================================================
Meir,
I'm not much of a theologian, and definitely not a Torah scholar, but
IMHO, G-d allows some of the challenges we face as a "test of our
mettle." I don't think he (for lack of a better inclusive pronoun)
causes them, but when they happen, we are faced with choices about how
to deal with them. Some may do better than others, and I think he's
pleased with those who do well.
The "great souls" theory is a bit much for me, although there are
lessons we and our families and those we meet can take from the
obstacles presented by disability and other challenges. I refuse to
believe that my soul (or yours, for that matter) is any greater than
my brother's or my sister's - and I use those filial terms in the
broadest sense possible.
As far as "special" children being given to "special" families, this
is a stretch for me as well. Working in the disabilities field for
over twenty years, I've seen families that deal well with disability
issues and families that don't deal well with it. The hope that I
have for children and families (and again, I mean this in the broadest
sense possible) that are touched by disability is that they find a way
to grow together to meet it to the best of their abilities.
As far as the things Chana Weisberg suggests as helpful, I'm afraid I
don't have the background in Hebrew to know what most of them are, but
I think they all boil down to "doing good in the world." I would add
to those by encouraging parents of children with disabilities (and
people with disabilities themselves) to allow your child, our
yourself, to live as full a life as possible. In closing, one of the
best things I've ever read on dealing with disability was written by a
well respected former member of this list, who is no longer with us.
Bobby, we still miss your wise counsel.
http://www.tell-us-your-story.com/_disc98b/00000005.htm
=========================================================
Cheers
Deri
-----------------------
To change your mail settings or leave the C-PALSY list, go here:
http://listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?SUBED1=c-palsy
|
