Stardate: -317681.72

Today while I was working I went on an outing with another co-worker and one of our developmentally disabled residents. We went to a park in Eugene and sat around and watched the ducks and geese and walked around the pond. Every time someone would walk by us the resident with us would wave at them and say hi. It was fascinating to see how people would react.

It prompted me to reflect on different situations when I have been in public with people I know who were perceived as different (physically, developmentally, or socially disadvantaged) from "everyone else." It often bothers "everyone else" more than it bothers "them." I love being with developmentally disabled people especially because they don't seem to take anything for granted when they're out in the world. Ducks, cows, airplanes, flowers, people, they're all amazing and worth gawking at, talking to, giggling or maybe even shouting about, and they don't care if it's appropriate or socially acceptable...they just do it.

I think we can all learn to see the world differently when we're around people who have that "gift."