Seats, Walks, and Books

I had an illuminating experience today. Upon catching the train to head to work, a young man with Down's Syndrome immediately offered me his seat. I said "oh no, thank you though, please -- stay," thinking to myself, you have D.S., you should keep the seat. I had to laugh when he said, "but you're so tall, you should take the seat." Well met, my friend. I wouldn't have called my physical characteristics a disability either!

An organization in our office building apparently works with all kind of special needs children and adults, as there are many mornings in the week where the lobby will be full of these people as they await buses for a field trip. At first I was nervous -- am I staring? I am not looking enough? Should I smile or is that patronizing? -- but I've since learned that such second-guessing is not necessary. I treat them like anyone else I walk past, a smile if I make eye-contact, but for the most part being non-intrusive. I can't say that I've gotten to the point where I don't think about it when I walk in; I believe that's also because I relish the exposure. There are so many different walks of life that can give one's one life perspective, and daily reminders of perspective certainly don't do any harm.

In that vein, since as far as I know none of you work in my office building, I can recommend a few good books if you're looking for this particular kind of perspective.

1) Expecting Adam, by Martha Beck, a true story about a woman expecting a child with D.S. and the fantastic occurrences that herald his birth (and continue even after he's born). My aunt and mom clued me into this book -- it touched us all.

2) The Memory Keeper's Daughter, by Kim Edwards, which charts the consequences in a family unit when the father secretly chooses to give away a twin born with D.S. while keeping the other. (This happens in the beginning -- I am not spoiling anything, don't worry.)

If you read either of them, please let me know what you think -- and be sure to pass them along to friends and coworkers, or whoever else might be in your book network. These books have a lot to say and need to be heard!