Spreading Joy

Isn't it nice to see people smile? As a mother, isn't it especially nice to know that the reason people are smiling is your child? As stubborn and defiant as she can be, my daughter has an amazing ability to spread joy. With little more than a light step and a giggle, she can cause people to pause and smile in between the bread and soup aisles at the grocery store.

I'm not quite sure what it is about her that makes such an impression on people, but she certainly does turn heads. I've seen more than a few gruff and grumpy faces crack and broaden into a smile of delight at the sight of my daughter skipping down the aisles. There's such a purity and zest for life in her that I guess people can't help but be touched.

This is the same child that will argue with me to the bitter end about how to pronounce a word, and yet she relishes the possiblities of what's around the next corner when we're out in public. She's the only person I know who can walk around the same block six times and be as equally thrilled about the sixth time as the first. She loves to meet and greet new people and thinks everyone is just dying to talk to her. She really can't understand why some people are hesitant about talking to the tiny whirlwind standing in front of them.

If ever there was an example of someone with such a strong desire to spread joy, it's her. Don't think I say that with seven kinds of pride either. Being around someone on such a unique mission can be really exhausting, not to mention a little embarassing at times. There are people who can be really put off by her approach and look at me like I should have some kind of leash around her neck. I figure it's worth a momentary flush of embarassment not to quelch my daughter's love of people.

I know that there are people who think that having Down Syndrome automatically means you're happy all the time, and they're dead wrong. My daughter can pitch a fit, the likes of which makes me want to crawl under a rock and wait until it's over. She takes strong stands on things and absolutely doesn't mind defending them down to the last person standing. She has great compassion and sorrow for people in pain and willingly sheds a few tears with her crying sister, if only out of empathy.

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