| Having 2 disabled children who have miraculously | | | | empowering ones? |
| reached their mid-30's and having kept myself out of | | | | 6. Wonder Woman and Superman are fictitious. |
| the snake pit and the abyss up until now, I've been | | | | Well-organized, askers of help are the real life heroes. |
| asked to share my secrets for not only surviving, but | | | | Take mental vacations as often as necessary. Make |
| growing into my fuller spiritual potential. | | | | sure everything is taken care of by others and then |
| Dealing with disabilities in children is one of the most | | | | check out to your favourite activities, head space, |
| harrowing, difficult, heart-breaking challenges on the | | | | places of solitude or rejuvenation practices - simple or |
| planet - if you dare to care. Yet it is juxtaposed by the | | | | complex - it doesn't matter to anyone but you. |
| most illuminating, gracious and heart-felt experiences | | | | 7. Organize, streamline, simplify - I'll say it again - |
| you could ever know. If you simply look deep into the | | | | organize, streamline, simplify. And one more time - |
| eyes of the disabled or their parents you can feel God. | | | | organize, streamline, simplify. |
| The truly great on earth are those who accept their | | | | 8. Gather as many like-experienced as you can and |
| less than perfect lot with simple, elegant grace. And | | | | friends you can truly be yourself with. Share with each |
| those dedicated to serving them are the queens and | | | | person only a little bit so as not to cause friendship |
| kings among us. Having spent chunks of time in the | | | | burn-out. Then rotate, rotate, rotate and journal, journal, |
| realm of life and death knowing other brave disabled | | | | journal or better know as the dance of restoration. |
| children and their heroic parents and caretakers, has | | | | 9. Be true to yourself and your child(ren). Don't under |
| truly been a gift that always makes me resist getting | | | | nourish your able-bodied kids or expect them to help |
| back to the "real world" of glitz, glam and gossip. | | | | carry the burden. But they can certainly help and share |
| Its always been at the most difficult, white knuckle time | | | | in the load - their personal growth and reward will be |
| that gems of how to cope, let go, advocate or live in | | | | great with loving planning. |
| the moment reveal themselves. So let me share the | | | | 10. When you have to prepare for both living or dying |
| top 10 tips that I've learned and continue to cultivate. | | | | at the same time, know its the doorway to all the |
| 1. Always take care of yourself first - for all the | | | | Gods, in all the realms, in the most simplified way |
| obvious and intelligent reasons. Your disabled child | | | | imaginable if you let go. Embrace, dig dip and ask |
| needs you to be strong and happy, not weak and | | | | "what is the gem in this situation?" Its the most healing, |
| resentful. | | | | real and authentic action you can take. |
| 2. Don't engage in never ending pity parties, but do | | | | Whether you have disabled children, adult children, |
| embrace your pain, fear, anger, concern and talk it out | | | | spouse or aged parents, these tips can help in any |
| - or better still write it out of you onto paper or a | | | | situation where someone else is counting on you for |
| computer. They say a life worth living is worth | | | | so much. |
| recording and the strokes of brilliance that will come to | | | | I would like to take this opportunity to thank the angels |
| you are incalculable. | | | | that have drifted in and left quietly out of my life; the |
| 3. Find a faith that speaks to you and then you speak | | | | parents whose incredible elegance has left me awe |
| to it. | | | | struck for eternity at their heroism, grace and endless |
| 4. All there is is NOW - every morning smile, afternoon | | | | capacity for love; and the children with disabilities of the |
| nap, movie outing, playtime, story time, goodnight kiss is | | | | body but abilities of the soul to share their humility, |
| golden - embrace and be in the moments of life. | | | | strength and courage in the most amazing ways. I |
| 5. Its useless to ask "why me?" Its brilliant to ask "how | | | | remain truly grateful and humbled for having known |
| can I?" Our success or failure is linked to the kinds of | | | | you. |
| questions we ask - so why not make them | | | | |