Perspective

There is a family in our neighborhood who have been faced with a devastating tragedy. Last year, their 4 year-old son was playing outside in the yard and somehow got a jump rope wrapped around his neck. He survived, but he has suffered profound and irreversible brain injury. He is now in a 24-hour care facility.

We don't know this family, although it seems that most everyone in the neighborhood knows about their situation. Their older son played Little League with Kevin a few years back, so we were acquainted with them in that way back then. I was talking to another parent today who is well-acquainted with the family and she told me that the little boy is for the most part non-responsive. He's not expected to ever improve much beyond the state he's in now.

And people think Down syndrome is something to fear.

Honestly.

I look at Finn, and I see his delays. My god, he is almost two years old and not yet walking or talking or even self-feeding with any reliability. But you know what? Who cares? I don't. I just don't. He is the sunshine of my life, he knows so much, he loves and is loved. He will walk, and talk, and do a million other things over his life. The sky is the limit.

I am thankful for Finn, for everything about him, for everything he continues to teach me and my family every day about what matters.

This is not a new topic for me; I've touched on it many times here before - the whole prenatal testing issue and the apparent quest for perfect children. There is no such thing as perfect - at least not permanently perfect. Anything can happen, in the blink of an eye. There are no guarantees in life. There are no guarantees that the "normal," healthy children we give birth to will remain "normal" and healthy forever.

So be thankful for what you have, in all its imperfection.