Example

”let’s play cats! I’m the mama cat and you all are my babies k,” Brittany purred while getting down on her hands and knees. She looked up, her round flattened face and squished up eyes beckoned us to join her. It wasn’t the game my friends and I had in mind for recess, but when Brittany came running over joyful and enthusiastic we followed her lead and got down in the cool grass crawling around and meowing away like our mama.

After a bit one of my friends came over to me whispering, “she’s kinda weird isn’t she? This is a baby game, I’m going to go play something else, want to come?”

I looked around and realized most of the others had left already as well.

“Um ok,” I hesitated looking to Brittany. “What about Brittany’s game though,” I questioned.

Shrugging her shoulders as she stood my friend said, “I don’t know, I don’t like it. Let’s go.”

I stood up, but felt bad just running off. Another idea popped into my head and it seemed the perfect solution. I walked over to our mama cat and asked, “Want to come play something different with us?”

Brittany meowed a few times smiled and proclaimed, “No, I’m a cat.”

Confused I stared at her a second more then ran after everyone else towards a game of tag. I’d look back now and then expecting her to come join with us, but she remained crawling around pretending to be a cat all by herself.

It didn’t make any sense to me, why wouldn’t she come play with everyone else I wondered the rest of the day. Later that night the question still on my mind I went to the source of all knowledge, my mother.

“Mom, what’s wrong with Brittany,” I implored.

“Nothing is wrong with Brittany as far as I know,” she replied.

Realizing she misunderstood I tried again, “But, why is she different?”

“Oh I see,” mom remarked, “Brittany was born with Down Syndrome. She might look a little different and act a little different than you, but we should always be kind and caring to her. You’ll come across people your whole life who will look or act different from you, but always remember we are all children of our Heavenly Father. We are all equal in His eyes; He loves us all and we should love everyone too.”

Thirty years later I sit next to my seven year old son in a meeting. I watch as he eyes a young man in a wheel chair several seats in front of us. The young man’s body jerks almost constantly and at times he grunts or moans loudly; his father gently holds his hand reaching up with a cloth now and then to wipe at his mouth.

“Mom,” my son whispers, “what’s wrong with him?”

I smile and breath out, “Nothing is wrong with him.”

Confused he looks back and forth between myself and the young man and tries again, “but, why is he acting like that?”

“That’s how he was born dear, just like you were born with red hair and freckles. He might be different than you but we will still treat him kindly as we would anyone else. Remember we are all children of our Heavenly Father, He loves each one of us dearly and we should follow His example.”

I think of my own mother’s example and how she would help all around her and treat each person who crossed her path with kindness and respect. I’ve tried to do the same, to be an example of good to my children, to help them show love to all we come across. Children will practice what they see and speak what they hear, so if I want to make a difference I need to start with me.

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