Do you know what children like Dylan are treated like in Eastern European orphanages? I feel sick to my stomach when I read articles, or watch a news clip about it. My mind quickly scrambles, wondering if there's something more I can do. I look at my little Dylan, and the light he brings to this family, and know the world would be a darker place without him. He's been so sick this past week with RSV. I can't stand to think about him in a place where he's never held, never spoken to, fed once a day, diaper changed rarely, and left to suffer illness on his own. He whimpers, and I hold him close. I stroke his cheeks. I coo in his ear. I let him see me smile at him. I tell him a billion times a day how much I love him, and smother him with kisses. When he's sick, I rub his back, go without sleep so I can hold him up to let him breathe easier, wish with every piece of me that I could absorb his pain and discomfort. Kids with Down syndrome, and other special needs, are not a waste of space. They are PERFECT. They are not put on this earth for us to put up with, they are here for us to learn from. They are not the ones that need to become more like a typical person. Typical people need to become more like THEM. Spend some time with my son, and I guarantee you'll learn something about unconditional love, about faith, about goodness and light. I love you, sweet Dylan. I hope someday I can grow up to be more like you.
