In my current job position, I work mainly with students who have some sort of physical diability or ailment that usually is life-altering. And no matter how happy and joyful the child seems, I always sit back and wonder 'Why did these kids get a raw deal in life?' or 'I just don't know how I would deal if I was in a body that was a mechanical failure'. But in some ways I sort of do know what it's like, that is what makes my position even more obscure. If you have been a reader of this blog (thank you, by the way!), you know that I was paralyzed for a short while at age 10. So I kind of know the feeling to want to be able to jump out of the wheelchair and never get back in it. But these kiddos can't do that. There bodies are broken so to speak. They have no mechanical control over their arms and legs. They care not independent by any stretch of the imagination and most will never be.
Now, it's one thing to sit around, point fingers and play the blame game for these kids. Why did THEY get the raw end of the deal? It's heart-breaking to think about, but to these kids, it's all they know. They don't sit around and think of this stuff from day to day because what they're doing is suriviving each day the best way they know how. In turn, by just being themselves they inspire others in the process, myself included. When I got hired at CI, the one thing they don't prepare you for is the initial shock when you start to work with the kids and get to know them. For somebody who is not used to feeding tubes, tracheostomies and other oddly sounding things, it's enough to make you emotionally broken. Given my background, I used to these sort of scenarios so the shock value was lessened when I was hired. Today, one incident brought things into perspective and shed new light on why I do what I do.
One student that I work with, quite closely as a matter of fact, has Cerebral Palsy. For those of you reading that aren't very familiar with this disorder allow me to shed some light. In a nutshell, CP is an umbrella term for a group of brain-nerve disfunctions in the body. Mainly the parts of the brain that control muscle movement and tone are affected. These kids are often spastic, meaning that their limbs flail about from time to time. They can't help it, that their body telling the arms and legs to function that way. Why? The answer is WAY too complex to be put into this little blog entry. But back to my ephiphany.
So this student was working with the Occupational Therapist in my classroom today learning how to drive a power wheelchair. Now, remember how it felt to get your drivers' permit? That basically the same feeling of accomplishment this student was feeling. But when they had to stop, his lower lip protruded out a bit and he started to cry, hard. When she brought him back into the classroom, he was at a full bawl. I felt so sorry for this little guy. He had tasted independance for just a little bit, but it was enough to fulfill a desire for more. The only thing I wanted to do for this little guy was to put him back into the power chair and let him drive some more but the OT had other kids to treat, so he'd have to wait until next week. The thing about my students are that they aren used to getting what they want most of the time because it's easier to give in to them than to withhold things because you feel sorry for them. The last thing I wanted to tell this boy was to 'man up', but nevertheless, I did what I had to do.
Later on at the gym, I was doing my cardio before training with my trainer, Tom. (TeamShues on Twitter...check him out!) As I listened to the song on my iPod, I was tired and wanted to just go home from a hectic day at work. Then I thought for a minute about the student that afternoon, 'He would kill to be able to come to a gym, workout and be able to complain about how sore he was the next day.' Right then and there that thought justified why I go to the gym so much more and shed some wisdom on things. Each day I bust my ass in the gym, I should be doing it for my students' and people who can't do much physically. I know they could much less care that I am working out for them, but it makes me feel like I am working out for a purpose now.
Most people who workout in a gym on a continuous basis do it for some sort of reason.....their health, receration, weight loss, self esteem. Whatever your reason, it drives you more to dig deep inside yourself and bring out the drive and determination to reach your goals....whatever they may be. At the very least, better yourself for those that don't have the chances that you do to 'be all you can be'. You don't have to kill yourself but isn't a goal in life to live for as long as you can and be happy?
For me the goal is to gain inspiration from those that are fighting battles that are so much more involved in every way that I know possible. One of my favorite poems is by Ralph Waldo Emerson about having succeeded, it talks about the simple things and how they can make a huge impact:
"To laugh often and much;
To win the repect of intelligent people
and win the affection of children.
To earn the appreciation of honest critics
and to endure the betrayal of false friends.
To appreciate beauty,
to find the best in others.
To leave the world a bit better,
whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a
redeeming social condition.
To know that even one life has breathed easier
because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
I try to live by the credo that is in this poem.....be humble, be happy.....JUST BE.
Now, it's one thing to sit around, point fingers and play the blame game for these kids. Why did THEY get the raw end of the deal? It's heart-breaking to think about, but to these kids, it's all they know. They don't sit around and think of this stuff from day to day because what they're doing is suriviving each day the best way they know how. In turn, by just being themselves they inspire others in the process, myself included. When I got hired at CI, the one thing they don't prepare you for is the initial shock when you start to work with the kids and get to know them. For somebody who is not used to feeding tubes, tracheostomies and other oddly sounding things, it's enough to make you emotionally broken. Given my background, I used to these sort of scenarios so the shock value was lessened when I was hired. Today, one incident brought things into perspective and shed new light on why I do what I do.
One student that I work with, quite closely as a matter of fact, has Cerebral Palsy. For those of you reading that aren't very familiar with this disorder allow me to shed some light. In a nutshell, CP is an umbrella term for a group of brain-nerve disfunctions in the body. Mainly the parts of the brain that control muscle movement and tone are affected. These kids are often spastic, meaning that their limbs flail about from time to time. They can't help it, that their body telling the arms and legs to function that way. Why? The answer is WAY too complex to be put into this little blog entry. But back to my ephiphany.
So this student was working with the Occupational Therapist in my classroom today learning how to drive a power wheelchair. Now, remember how it felt to get your drivers' permit? That basically the same feeling of accomplishment this student was feeling. But when they had to stop, his lower lip protruded out a bit and he started to cry, hard. When she brought him back into the classroom, he was at a full bawl. I felt so sorry for this little guy. He had tasted independance for just a little bit, but it was enough to fulfill a desire for more. The only thing I wanted to do for this little guy was to put him back into the power chair and let him drive some more but the OT had other kids to treat, so he'd have to wait until next week. The thing about my students are that they aren used to getting what they want most of the time because it's easier to give in to them than to withhold things because you feel sorry for them. The last thing I wanted to tell this boy was to 'man up', but nevertheless, I did what I had to do.
Later on at the gym, I was doing my cardio before training with my trainer, Tom. (TeamShues on Twitter...check him out!) As I listened to the song on my iPod, I was tired and wanted to just go home from a hectic day at work. Then I thought for a minute about the student that afternoon, 'He would kill to be able to come to a gym, workout and be able to complain about how sore he was the next day.' Right then and there that thought justified why I go to the gym so much more and shed some wisdom on things. Each day I bust my ass in the gym, I should be doing it for my students' and people who can't do much physically. I know they could much less care that I am working out for them, but it makes me feel like I am working out for a purpose now.
Most people who workout in a gym on a continuous basis do it for some sort of reason.....their health, receration, weight loss, self esteem. Whatever your reason, it drives you more to dig deep inside yourself and bring out the drive and determination to reach your goals....whatever they may be. At the very least, better yourself for those that don't have the chances that you do to 'be all you can be'. You don't have to kill yourself but isn't a goal in life to live for as long as you can and be happy?
For me the goal is to gain inspiration from those that are fighting battles that are so much more involved in every way that I know possible. One of my favorite poems is by Ralph Waldo Emerson about having succeeded, it talks about the simple things and how they can make a huge impact:
"To laugh often and much;
To win the repect of intelligent people
and win the affection of children.
To earn the appreciation of honest critics
and to endure the betrayal of false friends.
To appreciate beauty,
to find the best in others.
To leave the world a bit better,
whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a
redeeming social condition.
To know that even one life has breathed easier
because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
I try to live by the credo that is in this poem.....be humble, be happy.....JUST BE.
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