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Shelley Lill
11/9/2015 3:24 PM
The definition of courage is the quality of mind or spirt that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc. without fear; another word for it is bravery. When I hear the word courage, I often times think of the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz (I have included the video clip of his courage speech). He drew upon the courage that he didn’t know was already deep down inside of himself and overcame his fears to help Dorothy defeat the Wicked Witch!
The second person I think of when I hear the word courage is
my son, Thomas. It takes a healthy dose
of courage for him just to get up every morning and face the uncertainty of the
day before him. Who will he
encounter? What will the world throw his
way? Will his sister have mindlessly left her baby
doll in his path? Every day he shows his
courage to the world in so many ways.
This all leads me to third group of people who exude true
courage, namely the special individuals who have chosen to work with my son and
others like him. These people include
the dedicated classroom teacher who successfully manages the entire enterprise
but still makes sure that Thomas has the light up toys in his busy box; the attentive
deaf/hard of hearing teacher who tirelessly builds lego houses; the committed teacher
of the visually impaired who allows him to roughly practice with the Brailler;
the compassionate speech teacher who, knowing that Thomas learns tactilely, draws
shapes on his back as she says the word and signs it; the kind-hearted occupational
therapist who is splattered by pudding and applesauce while patiently teaching
him to use a spoon; the fun-loving physical therapist who willingly rides down
the sliding board with him on the playground; the patient orientation and
mobility specialist who most assuredly endures an innumerable number of blows
to his shins as he teaches Thomas to use his red-tipped cane; the persevering paraprofessional
in the role of the intervener who works so closely with him all day long…every
day of the week. These people chose this
path, and to me, that is courageous! I
know how difficult our daily routines can be, so it has to be at least a little
daunting for them as well.
These individuals do their work without frequent expressions of thanks, and maybe that is just how they want it, but I need them to know how much I appreciate the small (and grand) things they do for my son. I try to always give credit where credit is due, and although the names and faces have changed over the years, many dedicated individuals have each played a part in how far along he has come. It may be that, like me, every morning they get up and have to give themselves a pep-talk just like the Cowardly Lion. Whatever it takes, right? In the end, however, it is clear that their courage is mighty and the work which demonstrates such bravery is invaluable to our children and should be recognized as such by us all.
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I always say my son too, has taught me to be brave even when I really am not. We do need the courage of others as we overcome some very natural fears. This is a great read, thanks for sharing!
Patti - 11/12/2015
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I didn't understand that the Wizard of Oz was anything more than entertaining as a child. But as I went back to it as an adult, I realized what a powerful message it conveyed and I enjoyed it even more. Your message of courage, coupled with thanks, is powerful, too. Thank you.
charity.rowland@gmail.com - 11/12/2015
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What a beautiful post! Lucky Thomas to have you as a mom and fabulous for you to cheer on his educational team! Cheers to you Shelley! A mother and leader- giving your generous words to enCOURAGE others!
Amy Parker - 11/10/2015
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