Wednesday, July 30, 2008

i love someone with down syndrome

a few days ago i added my license plate to my new car. it's a personalized plate which reads, evrfwd. it's a rare thing to see any bumper stickers or emblem that might show something personal about me on my car. having that license plate was a big statement for me, which i had added in 1997. before that i think the last time i had a bumper sticker on my car was when i was 17. i believe the sticker said something in reference to "save mother earth".

now in 2008 i've decided to add something else to my new car. it might not seem like a big deal to many people. it's not a bumper sticker, it's simply a license plate frame. it reads, i love (heart) someone with down syndrome. this frame was given to us by a local down syndrome support group. they gave us a wonderful packet of books, dvds, and this license plate frame, among other things. it's been four months since i received it and i went back and forth about "posting" it on my car. when we got this new car, i thought to myself, it's time to make a decision. i was surprised when i thought about it how quickly i came to the conclusion of adding it. there wasn't much to it because i truly feel proud to display this saying on my car. it just feels right.

so often i am reminded of how maya has changed all of our lives. she has touched us in the tiniest ways. one of my friends told me a couple of months ago that she saw this license plate frame on a car, it was like she related to that person or maybe maya was lingering in her mind somehow...because i'm sure that months before she wouldn't have seen that frame or even given it a second thought.

who knows maybe putting this on my car will bring awareness to others. perhaps it might even make a new parent feel not so alone. after all there are people out there with children, friends, brothers and sisters with down syndrome and they are loved. it seems like a good thing to share with anyone who might be behind me in traffic.

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