For me, a fine-line separates who I am professionally and privately. Maybe that's because I have many of the same learning differences that my own clients face.
Maybe if you read a little about me over this past year you'll have a better understanding of where I'm coming from.
As 2011 was coming to a close I was notified that my younger brother, Ted, was in the hospital in the intensive care ward. Those words are never something we want to hear about anyone; but, my brother Ted has been handicapped his entire life. Over his lifetime he's progressed from having severe physical challenges to being wheelchair or bed bound as an adult. Intensive care nurses did not give him much hope for survival a year ago. He went into a coma that for someone in his condition seemed insurmountable. Miraculously, it was not.
The miracle is that Ted was not expected to survive even as a young child, and here he is years later overcoming life threatening challenges that I cannot imagine having to endure. The smile on his face as we gathered around him when he awoke will cause tears to stream down my face, for the rest of my life.
Perhaps it has been that as I've witnessed and looked on through the suffering and perseverance of the challenges of my younger brother's life that I've been given an opportunity to have my heart opened. Perhaps.
The next challenge came when my father suffered a heart attack. My dad has been my cheerleader my entire life and the thought that he wouldn't be there was more than I could imagine. But we were fortunate to have another miracle bless our family when the heart attack proved to be minor.
In July my father celebrated his 80th birthday as friends and family gathered. Early in dad's career he was a high school basketball coach---and on July 27th, when former students sent letters, made phone calls and more it reminded me just how much one person can impact someone else's life. In daily life when we're driven with passion to help others the impact can be far reaching. We heard story after story that day of how young men's lives had been changed, and how that influence has carried on throughout their lives. For me, it means I have my own personal coach who cheers me on with his sagely advice and love still to this day!
More challenges took place over 2012 but I'm going to stop here for today.
Remember I said that because of the trials and difficulties of my own life I have a unique perspective toward others with learning challenges, so stay tuned for the next installment of my review of 2012 as I cover just how learning differences have impacted me.
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