Over the years, my own children have fallen in love with my students. Relationships have developed and endured; my 3 daughters and my students have spent a great deal of time interacting and playing together. My daughters--now young adults--have untarnished hearts and eyes; they don’t see my medically fragile students as broken or damaged, but as complete and beautiful; no different than themselves. --Allen L.
Friday, October 23, 2020
Sunday, October 4, 2020
Running with Kevin
Kevin loved to run fast; racing invisible opponents in his wheelchair. We did this often, over the years--across the playground. Kevin would say: “Run, Mr. Allen. Go faster! Faster, Mr. Allen!” (me deliberately going slow (initially). . . So Kevin would ask or say (or beg) “Go faster . . . Go faster! Then in the end, when I was breathing hard (no faking or make believe on my part—I was exhausted), Kevin would say (panting) “Whew! . . . . . I’m tired.” In his mind and heart, he was running. I never checked his pulse, but his face would be flushed and he would be breathing (on his ventilator) as if he had just sprinted across the entire open playground—which technically, he had.
Her Voice
She was deaf, blind and believed by
many to have no observable or recognizable intelligence. To those unfamiliar to
her world, this little girl was considered unreachable. However, when I
held and supported her on a large classroom swing, and rocked with her back and
forth, she would make sounds of contentment. Back and forth . . . back and
forth. And when I would suddenly stop swinging . . . this child would bump me
with her shoulders. This was no accident. She was speaking to me, saying “don’t
stop, keep going, I’m enjoying this.” That little bump spoke volumes, giving
her a voice, opportunities, and a personality--as long as I had the patience to
listen and engage her.
I learned, if I ignored or didn’t
make the connections, her voice fell silent and her opportunities became
limited to, none. I found myself in the middle of her world; a key to her
voice and meaningful existence. Over time, I found her more than
reachable. --Allen Lujan
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