The Night I Spoke the Words

I often filter my words, try to cook them down to the best bits, and parcel out what I share in any given story, however, sometimes, when I do not parcel, the words hit their mark. The point is made because the truth stands unfiltered.

“What is most personal is most general.” – Carl Rogers.

When I shared the words “What are you going to do when he grows up?” written almost exactly as they came from my journal entry the day before Marcus graduated from the Madonna School, they were true. They resonated. They rang clearly enough to catch the attention of the burgeoning website, The Mighty, and then caught the eye of The Huffington Post.

A journal entry!

Although on my own site, it’s tucked away and rarely seen, in the broader spectrum, this piece seemed the most logical choice to read at the audition for the Listen to Your Mother Show.

One catch, since the original entry was written by me to me, and stated in the second person, I felt like it didn’t read-out-loud well. So I reworked the beginning, and then used the opportunity to update the audience at the end with all Marcus has been up to since his graduation.

I know a few people who like public speaking. Then there’s the rest of us. On the night of the event, however, I will say that I wasn’t afraid (like I talked about in We Don’t Live Fearless). I was nervous but ready. Plus, there was a spotlight. Spotlights are awesome – you can’t see anything when there’s a spotlight. People listened, laughed at the right parts, and applauded at the end. That’s the best we can hope for, right?

What Are You Going to Do When He Grows Up?

So what about you? Have you been asked the question; does it whisper in your own ear? “What are you going to do when he grows up?” With us, the question came because Down syndrome, but with many of our friends, there other reasons for the whispers.

I hope this piece helps to hear, like it helped me to write, and that is why I keep on sharing it.

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