Monday, August 21, 2017

Like Looking in a Mirror, Part 3

272 words
2 minute read

Maybe someday the novelty of spending time around someone who is just like us will wear off...but it hasn't happened yet.  Maybe you were reading in the winter of 2015 when we first met, or the summer of 2016 when we read some poetry together.

This time, for the first (real) time, we got to travel to her.

[Image is: Us looking at my phone together]
We celebrated.  Laughed.  She took tons of silly selfies.  Showed me all about camera filters.  We took pictures together, and have 6 glorious seconds of video which shows all three of us screaming, "No!" when my sis realized she had accidentally hit 'video' instead of taking a picture.

We talked about middle school.  About slime.  About Slinkys.  About whether our brothers also have CP.  (They don't.)

Her reaction to finding this out was the best thing I have ever heard:  

"Oh.  That's sad."

She spent time trying to figure out which of us she is most like.  I think she's a lot like Tara in personality, and gait, but as for a physical resemblance, this kid could be my mini me.  It's so wonderful.

Just being together is so powerful.  There is nothing better than that feeling of belonging that comes with being where "your people" are.  If you get to do this all the time, notice it.  Breathe it in.  Don't take it for granted.  It is beyond amazing.

As amazing as the moment when, she said, very matter-of-factly:  "I don't know how to describe you guys.  Are you friends?  Or are you family?"

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4 comments:

  1. This totally reminds me of when I met another person with my type of CP. We compared symptoms and surgeries and it was like having a secret language only we understood. It helped me to understand the CP was permeant because this person was older. I have a lot of my friends BECAUSE of CP. NOT "in spite of it". I think we should treasure all of our friends. Each friendship is valuable.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, it's so powerful to connect to someone else like us <3

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    2. Yes and it is so powerful when we mentor those who are new to disability so I'm so glad you get to do this. :)

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