Waiting at the doctor's office this afternoon, I saw a young girl walk in with her (over-tired, disinterested, texting-focused) mother. From her speech, her volume and the features of her face, it was immediately apparent that the young girl had Down's Syndrome. She was friendly, exuberant, joyful from the moment she walked in and recognized an older girl she went to high school with, but with whom she had never talked. Hi, do we go to school together? What's your name? I know you, don't I? It was obvious that this was the first time they'd ever met and talked, even though they'd recognized each other. What followed was an excited conversation where the young girl tried to convince the older to vote for her for Prom Court (Prom Court! the young girl beamed. I'm going to be on Court!). To watch the older girl respond, again and again, to truly engage the younger girl with genuine interest and sincere kindness made me smile. I nearly laughed out loud when the younger asked the older to "swear" she'd vote for her, and the older returned with "pinky swear?" (which they did). The younger thought this was wonderful -- and it was delightful to hear them both laugh. When the older girl was called into her appointment, the younger told her she loved her, jumped up and gave her a heartfelt hug, which was returned by the older along with "I love you too."
Having no one to talk to (her mother was patently avoiding her), she turned around to say hello to a boy behind her. What followed was another of the most sweet conversations two high-school-aged strangers could have ever participated in. She asked where he went to school, he answered Blessed Sacrament. He asked in turn, her answer, Simon Kenton. Did he know Great Wolf Lodge? No. She was going to a bible study program up there -- he should check it out. It sounds really cool, maybe I will. What do you like to do in school? Want to hear what my teacher said to me today? Yeah, tell me. Ok....
Now don't get me wrong. I did not expect either of the older kids to treat this lovely younger girl with Down's poorly. I didn't expect them to roll eyes, or ignore her, or uncomfortably, rudely put her off simply because of her disorder. Of course not. I believe in the goodness of people, but I also have this notion of teenagers (these days) being less aware, less caring, less giving, more selfish, more standoffish, more mean, I guess. Too much TV? Probably. Since the ones I know as neighbors act nothing like that.
But what struck me, what had me in tears -- pure, wondrous, awestruck tears -- was how they both engaged this girl. They listened. They reached out -- both physically and emotionally. She was a perfect stranger, and they opened their hearts to her as she so easily did to them. And it was genuine. Real.
I watched both moms as they watched their children talk with this special young girl -- and I mean special in the literal way, she had something about her, a glow, a magnetism that drew you to her and wanted to turn her attention to you -- and both moms had the same small smile about their face. As if being a generous, kind-hearted, attentive, time-giving teenager was positively the norm and nothing to be called out or noticed or remarked upon. A tiny approving smile was enough.
Well, I noticed. And here I call it out. Goodness, it exists. And my parting thought was that I wished with all my heart that I could pass on that same pure quality of kindness to Grif that I saw from three strange kids at the doctor's office today. And that I might pass it on to you.
No comments:
Post a Comment