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The true meaning of "special"Nov 03 '00 Write an essay on this topic.I would like to start off saying that this is an epinion I could have never pictured myself writing a few months ago. My mom is the manager of the school bus company in the town where we live, and she needed an aide for one of the handicapped buses. Since I was not working at the time, I decided to take the job and help her out. I was also in a major funk and if I didn’t get a job soon, I think I would have become a permanent house hermit! I am on the bus for three schools a day, but only one school has the children with special needs. We started off with having two students in wheelchairs. The main part of my job is to hook up the wheelchairs using the “tie downs” on the bus. One of the students is a little girl that is seven years old. I am not sure what her disability is, but she is not (mentally) able to communicate with anyone. She does recognize the bus driver and I, and will always give us big smiles when we load her on the bus. The other student is eighteen years old and he has Spinal Bifida. He is unable to feel the lower part of his body, and sits with a hunch because of the spinal defect. He is a very friendly and outgoing boy, and he will always bring a smile to my face. He likes to joke around and tell the bus driver and I that we are both nuts. We just started to transport a boy at the beginning of the week that has Down Syndrome. He is also seven years old, and was very difficult to deal with. Getting him on and off the bus every day was a major project. He would kick, hit, spit, and scream. Also, once he got on the bus, I was unable to assist with the students in wheelchairs because he knows how to unbuckle the seatbelt, which means I have to sit with him until it is time to take him off the bus. Today, though, was different. He got on and off the bus with no major problems. I realized after we were riding a little while that he looked forward to seeing me! ME?! We talk and look outside the window during the ride, and today we played peek-a-boo. I have learned so much from these kids in the past two months than I think I would have for the rest of my life if I hadn’t taken this job. I have learned patience (a biggie!), caring, understanding, and about myself. I have learned how simply having a conversation with these kids makes their day. They thrive with attention. I have realized how lucky I am with the good health and opportunities that I have in my life. I see how I take simple things, like walking around in a store, and having a good conversation with family and friends for granted. I can also see how there is no harm in smiling at someone and saying hello, even on those days when I’m running late. A little kindness can really go a long way. These kids have shown me all these things. They can be the greatest teachers to learn about yourself and how to treat others, if given the chance. They have no biases or prejudices. They don’t care about how I look, how much money I have, or what kind of car I drive. All they really want is someone to talk to and to be their friend. Someone that looks forward to seeing them everyday. I don’t think that’s too much to ask for. They have showed me what the true meaning of special really is.  |
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