Little Children
Halloween is an event in our neighborhood. Kids come from all over the community, and many from neighboring towns. I love sitting in front of my house and playing at being a "fortune teller" telling everyone that I "see candy in your future." About an hour into the Halloween extravaganza, a sweet little angel toddled up to my chair and the candy. She had Down Syndrome, and gleefully plunged her chubby little hand into the candy bowl. Kenny and I smiled at her - she was a darling - but her dad hurried up apologizing "I'm sorry…" and urging her away. You wouldn't have heard an "I'm sorry" from the parent of a "normal" toddler, but somehow parents of special needs kids feel the urge to apologize for the intrusion. I know I sometimes felt that pull to make amends for a perceived insult - as though my child's mere existence was an insult - but I tried to stifle that tendency. We told that dad that there was no need...