THE MIRACLE OF A HELPING HAND

The miracle of special needs children learning aside their non-disabled companions, a child who excels in his craft and even with a disability is able to contribute greatly to society, to help to improve things for others, even when he has a deficit, a brain disorder, or blindness, or is confined to immobility because of not being able to walk, so is in a wheelchair or walks with a cane or walker.

These disabilities are to be overcome, to use one's brain to continue to learn, even when learning comes slower than to others, to try to walk, using one's muscles and stretching them, to not allow a walking disability to impair your functioning.

The elderly and disabled have much to contribute to society and are not just "burdens" in our world who must be sustained with our tax money. The tax money goes to improving the living situation of the disabled/elderly and this is the reason these people have the means to contribute to making the world a better place to live, for all people, for the non-disabled and young, for the disabled and elderly.

Traveling to a place of good will, a place of acceptance, a place where the elderly and disabled are respected and not caused to feel shame. To take shame and to convert it to pride, to be proud to take a first independent step out of a wheelchair, to then not be shamed when you need a wheelchair to assist you. To feel the greatness of our President Theodore Roosevelt as he gave his speeches from his place in his wheelchair. To go to rehabilitation services and not to feel shamed so you must keep it a secret, "only the fittest survive" as Darwin told us.

Not being able to admit your sicknesses, going to your employed job sick with a contagious infection because you do not have enough sick days left to pay for your absence. Pregnant women losing jobs because they do not have enough coverage for all the time they need off to take care of themselves and their soon-to-be baby. An elderly man losing his job because his hair turns white and so he is then thought to be unable to work as well as a younger man. Dying your hair to give an appearance of a reduced age, so you can keep your job or keep your house, to not be forced to stop driving a car because of your age. Applying for social security benefits and receiving them so must stop earning money on your own or you will lose your benefits. The benefits not enough to sustain you as a livelihood.

The miracle of a helping hand, to have support so you can be honest with someone about your needs, to seek the help of another and to receive it. One person giving another a helping hand. G-d reaching out to assist the caregivers, to bring them strength, to help those in need of help, and to help those who help them.