The Power of Glowing

After a long long week, I looked at the mail Sparrow had brought in and found a mailer... addressed to me...

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Retard is not a term to describe people. Long ago, when I was a young child, it was used to describe people with varying mental challenges, but it has been changed. Now, we have 'intellectually handicapped' and 'intellectually challenged' and 'learning disabled' and so many other, more relevant and meaningful words. Even those terms don't suffice - I'm guilty of using them to categorize people, but you know, when you look closely, nobody belongs in categories. We are all unique and distinct, each with our own strengths and challenges. I am striving to view labels as a starting step to understanding, instead of the final discussion.

Today, though, is about eliminating 'the r-word' - <http://www.r-word.org/>. If you feel like throwing an insult, please consider something more unique, perhaps a Shakespearean vilification. If you're trying to find a label, please consider 'challenged' or 'disabled' or taking time to learn if there's a more relevant identifier, even knowing that it's insufficient.

Why does it matter? Some people say they cherish these labels for themselves. The thing is, as long as the words are shaped by hatred and disgust and flung like stones and missiles, they are weapons. When words are corrupted away from helping people to understand one another better, then we are all blinded.

We are all special. We all need support - unless you're a hermit living off the land, you need *someone* to help you have the life to which you're accustomed. Some people need more support, which means more people have the privilege of giving of themselves, and that is okay.

I know I have a long way to go yet!




But now that I've got a lot more spare time, maybe it's something I can aim for. :)

Everyone has heard of Random Acts of Kindness. Let's consider something a bit different - Random Acts of Notice.

There are people all around who are busy doing their jobs, some of which are on your behalf, even if indirectly. I know from a volunteer position in a service industry that almost nobody bothers to say thank you. We get complaints, deserved and otherwise, and we get spat upon when we tell people that they are operating against policy, and we're expected to continue to do our jobs for those same people - and the compliments are few.

Every year and a half or so, someone will compliment me for a job done well. It's very nice, and encourages me to try again even when the next smear campaign runs through. Even the magazines have noticed that smiling and thanking one's cashier tends to boost their spirits, and they're better able to continue with the long long day of standing in one spot, doing the same thing day after day.

So let's do it. Let's look around and see who's out there, working, who we've never seen before, and catch them doing a good job. The more smiles there are in the world, the better place it'll be.

I can't do it all, and I think I shouldn't try. I think it's my greatest hindrance - there are so many really neat things in the world, and so many that I really would like to look into. It's difficult to say, 'No, I don't really want to learn more about this subject, thanks.'

How do I limit myself? I think I'm going to need to make a list of Things to Pass By.

If I learn it all, then I won't have a good reason to ask others for their answers. They always say to delegate, let others do their jobs... so it's what I have to do. There are millions of people around, and it's okay if some of them learn things I'm not learning. Besides, if I focus my energy, I'll learn a smaller range of topics to a greater depth, and that's a good thing too.

At least, it's what I'm trying to tell myself.

http://members.fortunecity.com/ymir1/beastfro9.html
The Fog Horn by Ray Bradbury

There's a lot of typos and such, and usually they tick me off enough that I find the story hard to read, but the words are such poetry that I kept going anyway.



"One day many years ago a man walked along and stood in the sound of the ocean on a cold sunless shore and said "We need a voice to call across the water, to warn ships; I'll make one. I'll make a voice that is like an empty bed beside you all night long, and like an empty house when you open the door, and like the trees in autumn with no leaves. A sound like the birds flying south, crying, and a sound like November wind and the sea on the hard, cold shore. I'll make a sound that's so alone that no one can miss it, that whoever hears it will weep in their souls, and to all who hear it in the distant towns. I'll make me a sound and an apparatus and they'll call it a Fog Horn and whoever hears it will know the sadness of eternity and the briefness of life."



I love it.

A lot of things are coming together for this, so it'll be as convoluted a posting as ever. Please bear with me...

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http://www.asimovs.com/_issue_0805/allseated.shtml

It begins fairly slow, then is hard-to-breathe urgent, then is wow... I want to remember this one, so I can try to learn the method and capture that brilliant array of emotions and intentions. I loved it!

"it was their mutual interest in magnetism that drew Skłodowska and Curie together."

from <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/marie_curie>

I hope it's sweet and wonderful, full of joys and delights that last the year through, and then some!

*hug* *hug* *hug*