The days of January 2008 have almost passed us by. The rain has drenched the grown, the snow covers the mountain tops, and the sun tries to shine brightly through the grayish clouds. Pretty soon it will be Valentine’s day where partners send flowers and roses valuing their significant other. Will we stand alone or will we too be valued?

In the Oxford English Dictionary, the definition for the word valued is…the regard that something is held to deserve; importance or worth. Are we and our lives held with value or worth?  Do others accept us for who and what we are?  Disability, silent or not?  Do we accept others and ourselves with the sensitivities we have as being people (with Cerebral Palsy or a learning disability)?  Even though, we have C.P., a learning disability, have scoliosis, a developmental delay, arthritis, or whatever our disability may be- WE are still men and women, young and old, of the human race.  We still want to be treated respectfully and with care and kind regard.

We want to be treated like those without a disability. We want to reach our highest potential and reach for the stars.

So, let me ask you… do  you do everything you can to move your life forward?  And if you can’t is there someone caring for you who can?  Are you not only valuing yourselves more, but the one’s around you taking steps to give you the worth, regard and importance you to deserve?  Do you feel your own worth and confidence?

For the most part, in our hearts of hearts, it matters to us deeply  that others care.  It matters how much people around us and in the disabled community understand and value us.  It matters that we be treated with value.  What ever our disability is, we would like people in our lives, our community, our world, our schools, and in our organizations to treat us like those without a disability.

Instead of competitiveness, let us teach others around us, to turn away from needing or having it all!  Teach others how you need help, And show them the light and power of helping those who need help the most.  It is not in the material or worldly good that we fine peace and harmony and worth within our every day experience- Instead, it is in the act of giving of ourself selflessly and lending advise and a hand to though’s who need it the most.

This Valentines, see what kind word or dead or act you personally can bring to the hearts of those with special needs.  See how you feel.  See the difference it brings to your spirit.  It takes thought and mindfulness, care and consideration.  It takes intention to do something positive.  It takes a willingness to make a difference in just one person’s life.  And it take doing ONLY one good dead to bring someone hope and joy!

How can each and every one of us make a contribution to society.  How can we bring hope and faith to those who what it , need it, and deserve it the most?  How can we make ours and other peoples voices heard?  How can we help to move our and those other peoples lives around us forward? How can we bring peace back into our and others lives?  It is our basic right- these are the fundamentals of wiping out true discrimination. Help me to make a stand and to make a difference one person at a time! I ask you…

We need to communicate our needs, our wants, and our desires and those achievement that would truly make us happy and fulfilled, while gaining the publics respect and our world to value us as human being such as we are.  We must know within our own conscience that we are doing good, that we are making a differences.