As I just posted our daughter, Emma, made a local year round city swim team. I guess I never quite realized swimming (at least in this city) is looked at as an 'elitist' sport. There are a handful of us families who do not drive a Mercedes, BMW or a Lexus and our kids go to public school instead of private institutions. Oh and did I also mention one of the first questions we get as being a new family is "where did Emma swim over the Summer?" I love the look on their faces when I say "the city swimming league!" Eeeek...can you imagine the nerve we have to bring our child to this swim league when she doesn't belong to a country club or prestigious neighborhood association swim team? How dare we!! If that weren't bad enough on our part we bring Adam along so these people who think they are high class have to see something they view as "imperfect."
I am not ashamed of my son, I am not ashamed that he's in a wheelchair and I will take him with me wherever and whenever I please - even if it makes people uncomfortable. Are people really so dumb that they think we don't see their stares or how they look at him like he doesn't belong? These people have no concept of viewing him as God's child and what's even worse is it appears they are raising their children to feel the same way. I even heard a parent whose child was coming close to sit next to us (you could tell they were interested in Adam) say "don't get too close" - come on people, he may not be able to walk and talk but he doesn't have a disease. I assure you your child won't catch my son's brain injury - it's not contagious!!
So, from my viewpoint this whole swim team experience is going to be a blast!! People like this need a reality check - they do not have an exclusive right to not be exposed to our world. If they become vulnerable and actually get to know us and Adam who knows even they might be changed by a child.
