'Down' at Our House
IMAGINE THAT!
Einstein said,
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination."
We are imagining BIG now with the soon to open family business called
"IMAGINE THAT!"
Matt's Shredding.
Mel's Cards, Coffees, Candy, and Buttons.
Mike's and Mel's IsAgenix Health Products,
Dianna's Bows, Prose, Books, and Bags.
And in the works:
Fax and Copies,
Souvenirs,
Small group meetings,
(a writers group and
"NEXT CHAPTER BOOK CLUB")
Plus Matt's and Gary's garage full of Good Buys.
(The following two poems inspired by Matt.)
Don’t Laugh, Love
By Dianna Dawson-Brown I am lighthearted, simple, and full of ideas. My worries are few that extend beyond my own world. I love babies, heroes, grandmothers and grandfathers. I see you. I see the clerk in the store. I see my mom and dad. I don’t like war, fighting, yelling, cursing, complaining, or sadness. But I love those who fight for me, my country, my family, my dog. Bullies bug me, teasers terrify me, harassers hurt my feelings. I find joy in all things simple, and happiness through imagination. I like compliments and believe them. I give compliments and I mean them. I am Matt. I have a disability; it does not have me. Don’t laugh at me, love me. Get to know me, and you will love me.
April 6, 2011
This second poem I begain before 9/11 in 2001. After 9/11, I knew I had to finish it and since then have made minor changes. Published a few times, if the name Matt is replaced with "My son" it becomes universal to our children.
If Everyone Were Like My Son
By Dianna Dawson-Brown
If everyone were like my son,
The world would have no war, no hate, no greed.
There would be no killing.
If everyone were like my son,
The world would have no gossip, no jealousy, no hostility.
There would be no hurt feelings.
If everyone were like my son,
The world would be full of joy, kindness, understanding.
We would live in love.
If everyone were like my son,
The world would value human life, freedom, and family.
We would live in peace.
I am so grateful for my son,
He teaches me what is important, eternal, and good.
I live with Heaven’s Ambassador.
Matt has Down syndrome.
COTTAGE CHEESE INSPIRATION!
This morning I found a large carton of cottage cheese in a garage cabinet. Of course no one claims to have put it there. My thought was "dollars in the garbage." But it also led me back to some lessons I learned.
Many years ago, before Melissa, Matt and Mike were born, I remember talking to a woman about her sibling with DS. The child had used a pair of scissors to cut something important and that became the defining factor in the parent's decision to put her brother into an institution.
I thought, "Why didn't your parents teach the child instead?" All children do things like this, but we don't consider 'putting them somewhere' (at least not seriously.)
That took me back to my own brother, Randy, who lived in an institution for many years because of the "What ifs" in life. "What if he hurts my grandmother? What if he burns down the house? What if he wanders away and gets hit by a car?" And many more "what ifs".
My brother one time wanted to make oatmeal, so he put a plastic bowl on the stove filled with his cereal and turned it on. WOW! My brother wanted to learn to make oatmeal. This could have been an extraordinary motivation to learn some independence. Instead it cause great fear in my mom and the 'what ifs' exaggerated themselves beyond reason.
Okay. I had two choices this morning. Get mad and never let them help put groceries away again --- or remind them that dairy products need refrigeration. Next time, I will supervise more carefully! There are many 'what ifs' in all our lives. We can consider them and turn them into something productive or creative refusing their control, or we can let them rule our lives with fear.
Take opportunities to teach.
Dianna