today and always i am a server

"How far you go in life depends on

your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged,

sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak & strong.

Because someday in life you will have been all of these."

-George Washington Carver

"May I be medicine for the sick and weary.

May I be their doctor and their nurse until the sickness appears no more.

May I quell the pains of hunger and thirst with rains of food and drink.

May I be a torch for those in need of light, a bed for those in need of a bed,

and a servant for those in need of service."

-Shantideva

"You will find, as you look back upon your life, that the moments that stand out

are the moments when you have done things for others."

-Henry Drummond

"Love is the best friend of humankind,

the helper and the healer of all ills that stand in the way of human happiness."

-Plato

This past week I have been moved by a tremendous amount of things.

Some good, some bad, but all part of the game of life.

The good, though, has been to see the smiling faces of all the children I am around

throughout my coursework.  The children that are typically developing as well as those children with Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism, and those that have suffered traumatic brain injuries. I wish I could express the JOY they bring me.

It's indescribable the amount of love that can pour in and out of a classroom when you see it from somewhere that is geared toward hope, awareness, and service for these children.

To have a four year-old little girl in pigtails and a pink, hand-smocked dress climb into your lap and twirl your hair everyday is a feeling unlike any I have ever experienced.

Her almond eyes melt my heart and her little hands, with their simian crease that her extra chromosome caused, are always so gentle and loving. It is no wonder that she pours out her love for me, she is surrounded by love at home, school, and with friends.

That is why I have a hard time understanding why people refuse to serve, love, and - sadly enough - even treat equally, our neighbors with disabilities.

Hard-headed politicians look for all the answers to the world in foreign policy, immigration laws, and taxation practices but they never think that maybe it will all fall into place once we implement the golden rule into our societies:

treat others as you would want to be treated

because if ever one of my friends calls out to me for help, I want to touch their heart like my friend, the little girl with Down syndrome, has touched mine

"miss baily, if the fire still has all of your stuff, you can borrow my things"

I just smiled and tears ran down my face.

How could one not love a life like that? Much less, how could one not think a life

like that is deserving of being in this world?

We spend much of our lives focusing on people and relationships and friendships that end up amounting to nothing in a time of need. But yet, we ignore those indifferent from us because we are unaware of what really makes a child with special needs special! 

Just because God created an individual with an extra 21st chromosome and a predisposed development that is slower and less autonomous than his or her peer, does not mean He didn't bless that child with the same amount of love He did us.

Quite more, actually.

That's what makes children like that so sPeCiaL - the enormous amount of God's love that she expressed to me in a way that holds much more weight than someone sending a text message saying 'I'm here for you' which turns out to be a lie in the end.

So maybe that's why I feel inclined to raise the awareness of Down syndrome/trisomy-21.

Amongst other things, we should all be aware of the blessings that come from being unignorant, inclusive, and non-prejudice. More generally so is that God teaches us to love all of His wonderful creations and to find the richest fulfillment in life is to see the beauty in all things.

And trust me, if the big, compassionate eyes weren't beautiful enough, and if the simian-creased hands weren't God's own 'artist mark', then the beautiful soul that spoke out of her need to be of service to others, is very much so a sense of fulfillment that I look forward to go out an seek on my future endeavors.

I'm glad that many years ago, I was made

AwArE

of these exceptional lives and the goodness of their mere being.

peace&love

baily

Spread The Word To End The Word

Today I was browsing the campaign website for the Spread The Word To End The Word campaign that I am so passionate about, www.r-word.org.  However, I was sad that under the Registered Events tab there are no events being held in the whole state of Alabama for the rally to end the use of the mainstreamed slur of the 'r-words', retarded and retard.  There is only one event registered on the webpage for my homestate of Florida. 

I am encouraging my mom to help me with this cause and hoping that she can get a table set up or something at our home church, the First Baptist Church of Oviedo.  I think she could help gain pledges by doing this because the date of the prospective 100,000 pledge mark is March 3, 2010 - which is a Wednesday and a HUGE night on the church campus.  Hopefully something can get going back in her neck of the woods while I work to get thinks rolling on the University of Alabama campus.

I wrote an email to Cason Kirby, the SGA President at Alabama.  He wrote me back shortly after saying the campaign sounds like a great idea and for a good cause.  He explained to me how I can go about obtaining a grounds permit through the university's administration and making my campaign a student organization on campus.  I am MOST excited! :)

I'm glad that I go to a school that is open to all opinions and puts support and effort into something that looks to better the lives of people.  It's astonishing that some campuses won't allow for things like this.  One of my favorite books I've EVER read is "Expecting Adam" by Martha Beck.  She's a Harvard student working to get her doctrate degree when she learns she is pregnant with her second child, and that she is carrying a baby that has Down syndrome.  Her professors, colleagues, and peers urge her to abort the child because "bringing a baby into the world with Down syndrome is detrimental to society."  How disgusting is that?! She tells of her incredible journey and how the experience of carrying Adam to full-term and the work he has done in her life since she gave birth to him is more positive, more life-changing, and full of more learning than any degree from Harvard ever gave her.  Things like this, for example, make me feel so blessed to go to a school in the deep South that is enriched with value, morals, and respect for all of humanity.

My best friend and sorority sister, Kathleen, is going to help me at the pledge booth and information table that I plan to set up on the university quad or student union (whichever weather will permit).  She's working on her Masters degree in Secondary Education and History.  It's such a joy to have her in my life and she has always encouraged me to follow my heart in the fields of Early Childhood Education, Human Development, and Special Education.  At dinner the other night she made the comment to me, "I am so happy that you are so excited and pumped up about your new major and all the job opportunities that are in your future."  Friends like that are the most genuine and the ones who are life-long and true.  Her support in my 'Spread The Word To End The Word' campaign is just further evidence that she is a special person in my life.

So, keep your fingers crossed and remember me in your prayers as I work to make a difference in the lives of people with disabilities, as well as their friends and families.  Hopefully things will continue to go smooth for me in my efforts to set up a student organization booth through the University of Alabama.  It will be the first registered event in the whole state of Alabama and hopefully will make an impact in the efforts to end the "r-word" in society. 

Hopefully everyone has taken note to how harmful the word really is and is working on ceasing the bad habit of using these words.  I know I'm guilty in the past but my recent 'personal' campaign over the past couple of years and now my very outspoken campaign through all of the Spread The Word To End The Word efforts has cut the habit and made me more aware of harmful effects it has on so many wonderful and exceptional people. 

People know me as being this way and when the word is used in conversation around me, the speaker usually interrupts his or her own conversation with a "Sorry, Baily".  It's uplifting to know that my support of this cause and my efforts to raise awareness of the societal problem has rubbed off on others, whether it's just them not wanting to say it in front of me or if they don't say it at all anymore. 

A small change can make a BIG impact... so I hope all of us can join together and end the use of the word! It can only make things better and relieve the harm that it causes - so why not try!?!?

Peace and Love,
BJJ

With Kathleen after the Alabama vs. Arkansas football game in September 2009.

End The R Word

Most close to me know that my passion is in helping children with disabilities. Not only do I want to provide educational and developmental opportunities for children with special needs in my career path, but I also want to be an advocate for their rights and equality.

Too much has the "R-word" been used in mainstream society. I'm disgusted by how many people exchange the word "retard" for any other descriptive word. Not only are the words "retard" and "retarded" politically incorrect but they are also ignorant, not clever, and discriminatory.

In so many talk shows, sitcoms, comedy shows, movies, and civil conversations, is the word used. My friends and those around me are aware at my hatred for the widespread use of the word but even those that understand the prejudice behind it and the passion of my concern about it still say it out of habit - because it has gotten that bad. Teachers and even national political figures have used the word freely. How ignorant and discomforting.

Could you imagine if one of President Obama's cabinet members spoke to the media and used the "N-word?" What kind of havoc and chaos that would cause...
Well, it's discomforting and honestly embarassing to know that the President had nothing to say about one of his cabinet members using the word "retarded" in a public statement. It's the same thing as using the "N-word." It's prejudice, discriminatory, derogatory, and shameful.

Join the national campaign, started by the Special Olympics, that works to end the mainstream use of this word. "SPREAD THE WORD TO END THE WORD" will rally on 3/3/10 to raise awareness and encourage people to show their support at www.r-word.org.

Make this movement known all over the nation, starting in your community - at school, at work, at home, or even at your online community. Please! Help this cause!

Buy a t-shirt, make the r-word pledge, make an impact.

Please... take 5 minutes to watch this video. It means so much to me and those who are touched by the exceptional and loving lives of persons with disabilities.
www.youtube.com/endtherword.

Peace & Love
BJJ
The 'Other' Sister

Give LOVE

As Valentine's Day approaches, remember that everyone deserves to know love.
Spread some love by donating to one of my favorite organizations. Because they've always said: If you want to be loved, then love.

http://www.savethechildren.org/ - Help children nationwide who are in need.
http://www.stjude.org/ - Help the children's research hospital continue to treat patients regardless of their ability to pay.
http://www.reecesrainbow.org/ - Young children with developmental disabilities in an international orphanage and waiting on their forever homes. Each child has a donation account that helps pay for surgeries, intervention, and education.



much love, much peace, many blessings xoxo
bjj - the other sister

Welcome To My World

Hello! Some of you may follow my other blog - "Just Jones It: College Edition" - but you may not if you get sick of consistent praises to Alabama Football and North Carolina Basketball. So, this one won't be about sports, if I can help it.
I'm a student at The University of Alabama and I'm majoring in Early Child Development. My passion is working with children with special needs.
I'm a true believer that every life was made for a purpose and that every child deserves unconditional love. My life will be in pursuit of equality and non-discrimination for children with disabilities. I hope to one day adopt a baby born with Down syndrome. If any of you have ever spent even just a few moments with such a special child, you would know what I am talking about when I say that the whole, big world will become a better place because of the small, simple kindness, love, and purity that children of all shapes and sizes and IQ levels bring to it. For those, in their world, who do not know this kind of zest for life that children with special needs do, or who believe a genetic defect defines a person in society, then I truly feel sorry for them and believe their "perfect genetic coding" defines them as society's most defected. In my world at least.

I believe that drive and hard-work amount to being successful. But I believe more in perserverance. I think the more times someone gets knocked down, as long as they get back up each time and try again - they are the most successful. Just because one person had a harder time getting to a certain place, they are just as successful and deserving of it as the person in that same place who had an easier time getting there.

I believe in standing up for what you believe, even if you're the only one standing. No matter how different you are, how stupid you look, or how lonely you are, as long as you're standing for something, you'll stay up. But if you have nothing to stand for, you'll fall for anything.

I admire the person who stands out in a crowd. I admire the one who thinks creatively, the one who surpasses the text-book version of things and creates new ideas, and the one who intrigues us all even if we're looking at them like they are the biggest freak we've ever seen - hey, at least we're looking!

I think the past defines the future, your friends are the family you chose, and your family are the friends you want the most.

Giving credit to people who shape our world can make us all a little better people. We're not supposed to live our life in routine, day-by-day, for the same reasons over and over. We're supposed to be inspired, change the things that are wrong and continue the things that are right, and in the end, we're meant to be the ones who inspire the ones we leave behind.

I think you can learn a lot by learning about your family - the biology of it, the psychology of it, and the emotions of it. Your family defines you and you define your family - no matter who it is that you consider family.

There's a little bit about me and a glimpse into my world. I'm going to write about the things going on my world, the things I like, the things I don't like, and the things I can not change but can learn from.

Peace. Love. Happiness.
-BJJ