"Hello"

 

When I take my youngest daughter out anywhere she yells “Hello” to everyone. She screams with excitement that's sometimes uncontrollable. She's extremely happy. She accepts and loves everyone that crosses her path. A shining light within a room. The obstacles she faces daily doesn't define her. She's the seed that with a little water she will blossom into a beautiful bright flower. She's our family's joy. We walk proud in our Society not only with our youngest daughter, but with our whole uniquely designed family. I'm used to people staring at our family because we're large, we're multicultural and because yes we're loudly challenged in several ways. Most of the time none of us notice the glances, the interest from a distance but the other day while out with my youngest daughter I noticed something. She yelled, “Hello” happily to everyone. Over and over again she acknowledged anyone that crossed our path. I started counting the responses and out of approximately 50 people, 8 said, “Hello” back. I wondered if my daughter noticed.....I don't think so. She just continued yelling, “Hello” regardless if she received a response or not. In a way I understood. People don't know how to respond. They don't know if they should and some are moving quickly not even noticing they're being talked too. I decided to write about this because as a mother with special needs children, I can personally say, “It's great if you could respond with a simple, “Hello" it would be appreciated” I understand that some don't know how to correspond but just acknowledging someone would be polite. While I was looking at something to purchase, my daughter sitting in her wheelchair was having a complete conversation with this woman standing right beside us. The woman could not even look at us. I think the one sided conversation would have subsided if the woman just said, “Hello” or something! I couldn't ignore someone speaking to me, even if I couldn't comprehend what they were saying, I would still acknowledge that they are acknowledging me. I thought about saying something to this woman but instead I did something different. I talked loud enough to my daughter so the woman could hear. I told my daughter how special she was, how beautiful she was, how good she was being and I passed her a kinder surprise. (Her favourite treat lately) My daughter starting screaming with excitement. Yelling, "Thank you!" With one look from the woman, she left. I don't feel sorry for my daughter not being acknowledged. I feel sorry for the people that don't. They're missing out on a genuine beautiful flower that will continue to greet with a smile regardless if they look her way or not. Our littlest daughter is what I call a gift from god. She's enhanced our life, she has taught acceptance and unconditional love to everyone that knows her. Her fifteen siblings adore her. I've seen our daughter make people smile, and touch people's hearts. She has more life in her then that woman did that day......people can walk silently without saying, “Hello” but I guarantee you our daughter will acknowledge them anyway. Our little blossoming flower, brighter each and every day. I stand honoured to be her mother, I walk proud as she screams “Hello” in public. It's up to others if they choose to acknowledge, and if they don't, it's not our loss, it's theirs. I know my daughter will scream not only "Hello" but "Thank you" anyway!