Angels Among Us
God or nature, however you would like to define it, has blessed me with wonderful, beautiful people that I call friends. More like brothers and sisters, but friends none the less.I have one, (well I'd like to think I have more than one but we're just talking about one right now.) whom I have called friend now for 16 years. Wow, sixteen years. A few nights ago, as we laughed (till our sides hurt) and shared our memories both current and past I wandered back in my head over the sixteen years that I have been lucky enough to have this true friend in my life.
My first memory of Miss Andrea was in a college practicum class where she had to give a presentation. She came into the room with a stiff, shaky and unbalanced but happy, energetic, blond boy with water blue eyes clamoring behind her. Miss Andrea chose seats behind me and told the boy to sit down. He dutifully complied with her command where upon she handed him a brand new role of masking tape and he commenced to wrap the ENTIRE roll around one hand. Can you picture this? He was intensely engaged in this activity for 35-40 minutes. When the roll came to an end he held out his balled hand to her, grunted and smiled. She obliged him by cutting the ball off his hand.
This was my introduction to 'A'. A beautiful boy with a mystery affliction. And his wonderful mother with undying optimism. A woman who would/will never cease to believe that treating him just as she would any other child is the only fair and just thing to do in this world. Regardless of his apparent limitations.
When I met them both his condition was a mystery. For seven years he just had something but no one knew what. At the age of seven he was diagnosed with Angleman's Syndrome. He is a wonderful human with an infectious enthusiasm for life and an intense love of fishing and 'Scrubs'. Both of which he could watch without end, if allowed.
Miss Andrea taught me the true meaning of unconditional love. Which she introduced me to one fateful day after restraining herself in an observation booth as I tried to control a room full of preschoolers. Control would be the key there. I have issues!! After class concluded she took me into the observation booth and with all of the tact that she could muster, put her hands on my shoulders and told me where the bear shit. That our goal as teachers was not to exert control over children, it was to love and guide them. She told me this in the most loving way of course. Strained....but loving. I think she wanted to slap me, more than anything.
Well, I hated her for it. Vehemently. I never wanted to return to the Lab school. Until I realized that, despite my stupidity, she still loved and cared for me. That in fact, she had corrected my behavior BECAUSE she loved me. And that she would still defend and rally for me. Would still be there for me. Which she has done now for 16 years. No matter what retardation comes out of my mouth. She just looks at me and nods her head and says "Oh yeah?" It's weeks and sometimes years later that I have a "Doh" moment. That, "Oh my hell! Did I say that?", moment. And I love her for being flexible and loving me enough to allow me my faults and still love me. She has taught me love, to laugh and find all the humor in life. Even when it would seem that there is no humor to be had.
There is a special place in heaven for 'A' and Miss Andrea. I hope that I am privileged enough to be seated with them. In case your curious, we'll be fishing...And 'A' will be able to tell us all the wonderful and enlightening things that he couldn't while here on this earth. He will cast his reel from the center of the stream where he will stand strong without waver and he will flash that famous smile at us on the shore. He is and Angel among us and God hand picked his mother to help guide him and some of us, through this thing we call, life. I love you Miss Andrea.
My first memory of Miss Andrea was in a college practicum class where she had to give a presentation. She came into the room with a stiff, shaky and unbalanced but happy, energetic, blond boy with water blue eyes clamoring behind her. Miss Andrea chose seats behind me and told the boy to sit down. He dutifully complied with her command where upon she handed him a brand new role of masking tape and he commenced to wrap the ENTIRE roll around one hand. Can you picture this? He was intensely engaged in this activity for 35-40 minutes. When the roll came to an end he held out his balled hand to her, grunted and smiled. She obliged him by cutting the ball off his hand.
This was my introduction to 'A'. A beautiful boy with a mystery affliction. And his wonderful mother with undying optimism. A woman who would/will never cease to believe that treating him just as she would any other child is the only fair and just thing to do in this world. Regardless of his apparent limitations.
When I met them both his condition was a mystery. For seven years he just had something but no one knew what. At the age of seven he was diagnosed with Angleman's Syndrome. He is a wonderful human with an infectious enthusiasm for life and an intense love of fishing and 'Scrubs'. Both of which he could watch without end, if allowed.
Miss Andrea taught me the true meaning of unconditional love. Which she introduced me to one fateful day after restraining herself in an observation booth as I tried to control a room full of preschoolers. Control would be the key there. I have issues!! After class concluded she took me into the observation booth and with all of the tact that she could muster, put her hands on my shoulders and told me where the bear shit. That our goal as teachers was not to exert control over children, it was to love and guide them. She told me this in the most loving way of course. Strained....but loving. I think she wanted to slap me, more than anything.
Well, I hated her for it. Vehemently. I never wanted to return to the Lab school. Until I realized that, despite my stupidity, she still loved and cared for me. That in fact, she had corrected my behavior BECAUSE she loved me. And that she would still defend and rally for me. Would still be there for me. Which she has done now for 16 years. No matter what retardation comes out of my mouth. She just looks at me and nods her head and says "Oh yeah?" It's weeks and sometimes years later that I have a "Doh" moment. That, "Oh my hell! Did I say that?", moment. And I love her for being flexible and loving me enough to allow me my faults and still love me. She has taught me love, to laugh and find all the humor in life. Even when it would seem that there is no humor to be had.
There is a special place in heaven for 'A' and Miss Andrea. I hope that I am privileged enough to be seated with them. In case your curious, we'll be fishing...And 'A' will be able to tell us all the wonderful and enlightening things that he couldn't while here on this earth. He will cast his reel from the center of the stream where he will stand strong without waver and he will flash that famous smile at us on the shore. He is and Angel among us and God hand picked his mother to help guide him and some of us, through this thing we call, life. I love you Miss Andrea.
posted by Molly Sue at
9:21 PM
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