Embrace the Journey

A couple weeks ago, I got the privilege of going to surprise birthday party for a young man with Down-Syndrome. Now I’ve been to several surprise birthday parties, there fun and all, but once you’ve been to one, you’ve been to them all, especially when someone is turning 35! It not the big 40, its just one of those, yada, yada, yada birthdays. Well, I’m realizing that since being birthed into the world of Down Syndrome, my life, my experiences, my thoughts are far from what they used to be. I actually look for and anticipate what jewels and nuggets I’m going to learn with the new experiences I’m living out. Aaron who was the guest of honor, came in and we all yelled surprise!!! He was so excited. He was so full of life. He went to every table gave everyone a hug and thanked them profusely for celebrating his birthday with him. This was his first surprise birthday, and it was like a first surprise birthday party for me too.

     Having a infant with Down Syndrome leaves me with lots of questions. How is Micah(child with DS) going to be as an adult? His he going to like to dance, will he talk,  is he is going to be social? I have a list of questions that fill my mind all the time. So at  this Birthday party I was like a sponge,  soaking up all I was seeing. I watched Aaron’s interactions with his guest(who I knew none except 1). I watched his interactions with his family. I’m  always looking for answers to my questions, but often times Im left teary eyed,with  a deeper love for people, and life. God gives me MORE than answers, he whispers some of life’s mystries in my ears. So many times I have had a birthday and I wake up and have a ungrateful, apathetic attitude towards  celebrating another birthday. I’m very happy to be alive don’t get me wrong, but so many times my response to “Happy Birthday Nina”, is oh yeah, thanks, I’m getting old, or oh yeah its just another day! Okay you might be saying oh my, but think back, how many times have you, or have you heard others think  or make the same comments? My 16 year old daughter was with me at the party, and we both learned something that night. We watched a 35 year old man with Down Syndrome, glasses and hearing aids celebrate his life with the joy and heartfelt gratitude for the life he had been given. He danced a tribute to Michael Jacksons Thriller, did the moon walk, while the energy and electricity of life bounced from table to table, guest to guest. He danced with a young lady(also with DS) who had bought a special birthday dress for HIS birthday(when was the last time you bought a party dress to celebrate someone eles birthday) with tenderness , and exuberance. Life was oozing out of him. Aaron then grabbed his mom and slow danced with her to the song by Alabama “God must have spent more time on you”. I cried and looked up to heaven (really) and thanked God that the tender spirit he put in Aaron is a characteristic in people with Down Syndrome.  I also prayed that I would have that characteristic too! To think that a 35 year old still dances with his mom, and its not a wedding, I was touched deeply and so was my daughter. Aaron was excited about each gift he got, and he was excited about life. He did impersonations of Wrestlers, he prayed for everyone, he embodied what celebrating our life should be.

     What did I learn? You don’t have to have a surprise party to embrace your life. Its a gift and we should celebrate it, love it, share it with others. I will never wake up on my birthday or anyone eles with a hum drum attitude. I will celebrate my life, everyday! I will celebrate my friends and families birthdays the same way. Everyday is a birthday if we are alive. Micah is going to have a great life, and we all get to ride along with him!

I’m so looking forward to celebrating Micah’s 1st birthday this Aug, with passion, joy, and exuberance….all the things I learned from Aaron!

Happy life, everyday to you!

Nina