People....

Did you know, that when I was around 2 my grandmother caught me playing with dolls, and crying "at" them.

Yep--"at" them. She watched me for a few minutes, and realized that I was very frustrated with them....because those dolls (who were typically representative of people in my imaginative brain) were NOT behaving. They were frustrating me, because they were not "getting" "it"--whatever the heck "it" was.

Fast forward 30 some-odd years later. And sometimes I have week like I have this week.

It sounds mean--judgemental--perhaps even self-righteous of me.

But on weeks like this most of what my mom hears when I call her is "what year is it again?" and "Why are we (meaning the overall "we" on this planet or in this nation) still dealing with this stupidity? With this mis-information?

And WHY are there those whom are supposed to be more "highly" educated still passing on misinformation and poor examples?

This is especially true within my "profession" and passion of educating adolescents with disabilities, and educating their future teachers. AND educating the greater public as a whole about the true potential of people!

I have high expectations. I have seen "best practices" in life, in school, in Church, happen. And I expect others to "be" there--or at least be "getting" there as quickly as possible.

Instead, as is typical with most major "social" changes, change happens sometimes as slow as paint drying!

I've been told before that it's good that I am impatient. That those like me who work in this field, and have this passion, need a certain amount of impatience.

But--on weeks like this....I find it hard to not roll my eyes at people, tell people to wise up, and bluntly say "What year is it again? Why should this be taking so long?"

And--I have to add--that this is especially true in my Church. I grew up seeing the "ideal". Not that my "home" Ward was anywhere near perfect. Believe me....it was not. BUT...I saw children with significant disabilities fully included at Church and as much as possible in the neighborhood since I was in nursery (yes--starting in the 70's!!!) I started volunteering in a full inclusive preschool when I was 11!!! In the 80's people!!! So, when "professionals" (yes--I'm using that term lightly) tell me that things like full inclusion and things like Person First Language are "new"--I bluntly say back "only if 20-30 years is new!" --and again--I say "What year is it?"

I still stand by by believe/testimony: that the Church I belong to should be a leader in this area (fully including people with disabilities) in their home wards and branches--we should be "beyond" the "learning curve"--not behind it.

P.S. Did you also know, that when I was around 2 years old, I used to go outside and work and work how to swing on a swing outside (it was like a glider swing--not a swing swing). I would fall on my bottom over and over again. Sometimes the glider would smack me in the head. I would be crying and crying. But I'd get up over and over again, and try over and over again, until I figured out how to swing on it--and "got "it" done".

Yea--that little girl grew up. And didn't lose that determination. Believe me--just ask my mom! Should I say watch out world???