Yesterday I went to the funeral of a boy who was in a class where I frequently sub. He was such a sweet, sweet guy. The minister did a wonderful service, but funerals for children are just so hard. The family spoke of how this child impacted their lives, but he impacted the lives of so many other people as well. This special needs child, along with the other special needs students, has taught me so much.
When I first started working with these kids, someone commented that they couldn't do my job because they couldn't handle it emotionally - they felt too sorry for the kids. I understood because I used to feel that way However, I quickly found out that I don't feel sorry for them. I must admit to wondering what they would be like if they didn't have their particular disability, but I don't feel sorry for them. For the most part they are happy, and they are blissfully unaware that they are "special" in the way we mean it. They just know, at some level, that they are special because they are loved.
I am also a bit envious of the freedom they have to let the the world know when they are happy or sad or mad. Honestly, I just love it when one student says, "Go away, please" when she wants to be left alone. There are times I'd like to say that!
It's been a hard week for me. It was even harder for this boy's regular teachers and excruciating for his family. The night I heard about his death, I had a dream that he was running, jumping, dancing, and laughing in heaven. God had made him whole. God is good.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment