"You should never judge a book by its cover." Does that sound familiar? How about, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder?" Or even the one I despise and is NOT true..."That is dog ugly!" (What can be more beautiful than a furry pup who snuggles with you and loves you without end?! Nothing whatsoever!)
Our world is full of cliches and perceptions. Social media and various forms of advertising further these messages that feed our minds with inaccurate views of what someone or something should look like. Each of us has varying abilities, and that is how I always phrase that term...not disabilites, but varying abilities! Perhaps you can compete well in a race (best wishes and Godspeed to all those taking part in the Ironman tomorrow in our hometown) or speak more than one language fluently. Maybe you are able to hold your pencil or pen like everyone else (guess what, I can't, and they almost held me back in Kindergarten for that, which didn't happen...a story for another time) or you are a remarkable speaker. These are all wonderful accomplishments and a source of pride in what you can contribute to the world!
Then there are the amazing people who can maneuver their wheelchairs in and out of the aisles of any store, speak with their hands as they use sign language beautifully, dance at Night to Shine (check this out if you aren't familiar with it to see how you can volunteer,) and are the most talented competitors in the Special Olympics. How spectacular are each of these people?! Furthermore, there are even humans and animals who hear with their hearts and move about with less limbs than they were intended to be given...just like our sweet Gennie Marie...or the soldiers who come back from battle completely changed forever, not less than, just changed. They are the true heroes!
If you see the beauty in what someone can do, your whole viewpoint changes. Can Gennie Marie run and play like other dogs? Sure, she just fatigues a bit easier. Can Gennie Marie follow directions? Well, not like someone with working ears, but she looks for our hand signals and watches as we demonstrate what to do in any given situation. Can Gennie Marie make us laugh, listen with her heart, give us hugs (even better with three legs as she snuggles right into our necks,) and get into mischief just like her other fur-siblings...ABSOLUTELY! For you see, she is still a dog and she is beautiful in every single way you can imagine. People are the same way, and each of us as has so much to offer, no matter how we approach something. Use your varying abilities to the fullest because God designed you in His image with a purpose. See the ability, perceive the possible, and change the world!
"I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot..." ~Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta
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