Promoting the #RevolutionOfTheHeart
Sometimes when I’m working on my Down syndrome stories I start to believe that the world has changed more than it actually has. Some moments remind me that my life is just my own personal perception, and that we each have our own. Perception: a way of regarding, understanding, or interpreting something When I’m researching,… Continue reading There’s Still a Lot of Work to Do
He was sitting at the table by the window. When I approached, he took my hands in his, and the room disappeared. There was only he and I. His eyes were shining like diamonds, and I lost all sense of time and place, as I was drawn deeper and deeper into his full-faced smile. I… Continue reading Magic: When Your Heart is Your Guide
For over a year now, since meeting the Syrian delegation to the Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles, I have been searching for stories of Down syndrome people in Syria or who have fled as refugees. I want to know what it’s like for them and their families. I want to know if… Continue reading Down Syndrome Syria: Magical Happiness
After hearing this story about a young man in Massachusetts, all I can say is, don't buy into what you hear about Millennials (or any other demographic group for that matter). Time magazine called Millennials "lazy, entitled, self-obsessed narcissists", and this sentiment seems to be pervasive. It's not fair. I'm a Baby-Boomer and I know… Continue reading For Everyone Who Worries About the Next Generation
The African country of Rwanda has charged into my awareness these past few weeks. A good friend, and a good man who is a warrior in the #RevolutionoftheHeart, is in Rwanda, consulting on the building of a new hospital and teaching center. The company he is working with is Partners in Health, whose approach is… Continue reading Down Syndrome Rwanda: The “Cuddle Index”
We all have a different perspective on what is "normal." In my lifetime, those with special needs, disabilities, diffabilities, whatever term you choose, have always been present. Some people live their whole lives having barely any contact with people with Down Syndrome or autism or cerebral palsy. Sure, they see them and notice them in… Continue reading Fanning the Flames of the Revolution
Down syndrome Everywhere! is not a book about Down syndrome people. It is a book about the rest of us and our search for what matters most. It is my suggestion that Down syndrome people, historically some of the most overlooked and disenfranchised people in the world, can help lead us there. In the searchings… Continue reading Nothing is wrong. Nothing is missing.
I've spent the past couple of weeks on a big push to move the book forward. After the Special Olympics World Games, I was filled with inspiration and excitement. I still am! It's always a good sign when a creative project feels that it is gaining momentum. Because it is the way of the world… Continue reading Following the Plow
Attending the Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles was a great way to begin the journey around the world for Down Syndrome Everywhere! In seven days, I saw Down Syndrome people from at least one hundred countries. I talked to some, took pictures with others, smiled conspiratorially with those who had that mischief in… Continue reading Around the World in Seven Days
When you venture out of your normal sphere of life, when you shake it up and experience a day or week in a new way, out of the normal routine, a change takes place. You have messed with the flow of the energy stream of your life and a new tributary is created. For some,… Continue reading How to Start a Revolution
Down Syndrome Everywhere! 