I am un_ ashamedly stealing this from the  OUR KIDS site - PS I ask!!  This
is super - made me cry. Perhaps someday someone can do this for those of us
are freaks to society by virtue of happenstance - incest - rape, extreme
abuse - souls can be just as disabled and deformed as bodies can, and just
as in need love and understanding. May the God of the Once Born - forgive
them for their ignorance and judgemental arrogance treating us like filth
and second hand trash. Goddess Bless to my Systers who make the CovenStead a
safe and loving place - If we only do this for the world.

                                Brightest Blessings
                                      Trisha


>http://www.davidroche.com/index.htm
>
>This man, David Roche,  was born with an extensive benign tumor on his
face,
>and the treatments he was given in infancy and childhood seem to have made
>things even worse.  He has no lower lip, the lower portion of his face
>stopped growing because of radiation treatments, and he is covered with
>plum-purple burn scars.  He is 55 now, and speaks publically about how
people
>with facial deformities (any obvious disability) have to deal with it on
the
>outside, which may give them an advantage over those whose flaws are less
>openly obvious.  He uses his gifts (including, he believes, the gift of his
>disability) to inspire public speaking and humor on the topics which we all
>know very well.
>
>His worldview will not be to everyone's taste, especially not to the taste
of
>those who are in especially bitter phases (we all go through them, and few
of
>us set them entirely aside)--but in his words, "My face thus becomes a
gift,
>not only for myself, but for others, as their hearts open to courage,
>inspiration and laughter.  I am proud to be part of the emerging culture of
>disability.  I believe in the healing power of humor and storytelling."  I
>enjoyed his site, and the article about him on Salon.com's website, url
>http://www.salon.com/mwt/col/lamo/1999/05/27/sincerity
>
>Just thought some of you would like to see this; I hope my son is as
>accepting of himself as he is, when he is grown, as this man is.