IT HURTS IN ANY LANGUAGE

Sunday, because TLW (The Little Woman) was out at a baby shower, I decided to go to my local Chinese take out to get dinner: the Lucky Oriental and then watch the ballgame in my easy chair. Life would be good!

As I entered the restaurant, there sitting at a table was the owner and his wife, with their small child, standing next to mama. Mama jumped up to go behind the counter, and the child followed her to a short distance, but not behind the counter. I smiled at him, but he made a shy face and looked away.

As I gave the woman my order, the child came up to me, and I smiled again. This time he smiled back at me, and I reached out to shake his hand. He reached out, and we shook!

I asked the mama how old he was, and she said in broken, halting English: “16 months”, but quickly added that he didn't talk, “not even mama or papa, not even in Chinese. There was a frown on her face, and a worried look, and I felt very bad being in familiar territory. I inquired if he understood them, and she said skeptically: “Maybe very little.” She then took my order.

Instinctively, I grabbed a business card from the counter and wrote down on the back of it, the name of Suffolk AHRC and the phone number, along with someone to speak with, and my name. I called her back over to me, explained the card to her and she got very excited. She called her husband who had returned from his dinner and she showed him the card. They spoke in Chinese and I figured, he would pick up a cleaver and suggest I mind my business. Instead, I got a pleasant smile, and some questions about the card.

It got me to thinking: does this child have a problem with speech learning, or/and distinguishing Chinese and English? Here was a seemingly bright child, scampering around the place, smiling, physically fit and beautiful. His parents, who can barely speak English, were worried about his progress.

It hurts in any language, any venue, and any time. It never goes away, and if you let it, it can paralyze you as a parent. It seems that the older my daughter gets, the more universal my concern for people with developmental disabilities is. In a way, I have to be thankful for the opportunity to help others, besides my self. God gave me two children to use an example to me that I have to help others where I can. Giving is the easy part, seeing and hearing is what is difficult.



Gratefully, I work for a great organization, one that has a great board of directors in place, and one that I have a great love for. The staff from the executive director to the part-timer shines like a candle in the darkness, giving aid, comfort and hope.

Most importantly, I discovered in expanding my horizon, those that I serve, my people, are getting that aid, comfort and hope.

STAFF APPRECIATION DAY

Unfortunately, because of a prior commitment, I will miss an annual event, one that I love to go to. It is the Staff Appreciation Day. Staff Appreciation Day is a day that honors the honorable, a day that should be everyday. I know that it is the most important day of the year. These staff people are what keeps hope alive, gives me strength, and I have dedicated my service to the agency with the motto, 'Staff first.'

Please remember all those that need our hopes and prayers, particularly my brother-in-law John, and MMB (My Man Bill).