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