Another Lesson Learned From People With Special Needs

I was thinking about what to write in the blog when my sister Julie sent me this great picture of my brother, David, eating from the bag of Hershey kisses I mailed him for Christmas. David treats his kisses very tenderly and lovingly. He lines them up, carefully opens one and smiles at each one before partaking in his treat. I love how this photo caught his sweet gratitude or is it his gratitude of sweets?

Great Moments with Teenagers Who Have Special Needs

This ties in very closely with the story I want to share about a teenager, Josh, in a rural village in Alaska. He is a child that has ADHD and other challenges. He needed support with attention skills. I worked with him to strengthen those skills by teaching him how to cook and clean. It was his 13th birthday, so we decided to bake him a birthday cake. We were having a happy, productive time together and he kept talking about paper cards. What I finally realized is that he wanted a birthday card for his birthday. Two wonderful women, who were also his teachers, asked their classes to make this new teenager some cards. At the end of the day, the kids came and shared their cards with Josh.

I remember how appreciative and sweetly overwhelmed Josh was as he blushed, smiled and looked at me with glee. While the act these teachers and students performed was simple, it meant the world to this boy. It was also an incredible moment for me to witness and share with all of you.

I Learn From The People I Help

While I may be an occupational therapist and I understand how to help children strengthen their sensory skills, I still have so much room and a desire to learn from the people I help and teach. To David and Josh, thank you for the example of appreciating simple things in great ways! You make me want to do that every day.

What is a simple thing you try to appreciate every day? How do you show gratitude for the simple things in life? Please share your experience with me in the comment section below.