We interrupt our usual debauchery and adult subjects and humor...for something of actual importance...
I want to introduce you to someone. She's not famous, you won't ever see her running and playing outside on the playgrounds, she will never climb a mountain or swim in the ocean...but she's unique and priceless...a true gem. Her name is Jasmine and she is one of the most special people I know I'll ever meet in this lifetime...she's only 9 years old....and I absolutely adore her.
I met Jasmine a couple of years ago in one of my schools. She rolled into my classroom in a motorized wheelchair...a 7 year old bundle of personality and energy. At the time I didn't know what her challenges might be, and to tell you the truth she intimidated the heck out of me. Here was this child...in second grade, but she looked as if she was about 2 years old. It took about 2 or 3 minutes for me to realize, she was going to give me a run for my money, and she has ever since.
Jasmine has brittle bone disease. She has "grown up" knowing that if she moves too fast or the wrong way, she can snap a bone or have a serious problem. She has been in and out of the hospital all of her young life...had to endure so much pain and things that would make most adults run and hide. She's about 2'4" right now. She told me yesterday that she is hoping one day to make it to 4 feet tall, but would be happy to be 3 feet. I proceeded to tell her that guys love the cute tiny girls, so being a little under tall was a GOOD thing. (I'm only 5'2" and she makes me feel like a giant at times!)
This little girl rolls around the school like a hurricane. Although her body has such severe challenges, her mind is something to behold. I have never seen this child without a smile on her face or without something to say. She and I have had a special relationship since the first time we met, but for some reason, this year it's really started to dawn on me. (I know...I must be purely slow!) Every time she sees me, she shouts me down in the halls...I can't help but smile and get an extra spring to my step whenever I see her. I discovered she LOVES to cook or talk about recipes, so it's become a special thing between the two of us. She is constantly telling me or showing me a new cookbook she's gotten and we share our love of certain dishes.
Earlier this year, I was working with the special education department for a day...and was looking forward to spending a little one on one time with Jasmine. I went to get her from her classroom...she has to have special medical attention on and off during the day... (she is in a regular class and makes terrific grades...and is SO loved by all the other kids in the school)...she and I of course starting our usual banter. She had found a piece of Pyrite or Fool's Gold and wanted to know how much I thought she could get for it. I smiled and told her that with her charm and force of will, I thought she could probably get anything she wanted for it. Without missing a beat, she told me that she could talk anyone into anything and proceeded to make up an entire "story" around the value of this rock. By the time she was through, we were both laughing and I realized I get so much from this special little girl.
This week, on Thursday I ran into her after school. I realized I hadn't seen her on Monday when I had been there, and noticed she had yet another cast on one leg. In typical Jasmine fashion, it wasn't a dull cast, but white with hearts on it in honor of Valentine's Day coming up. I asked her WHAT she had done to herself this time. She told me, Ms. Parks I was back in the hospital this week for 2 days, I had to have another operation. She matter of factly said that one of the rods in her legs that are there to support her frail bones had shifted and they had to go in and put it back where it should be. Now remember, this was a day after she got out of the hospital...most adults would have been at home moaning in bed, but this child was smiling and joking with me. I told her how much I had missed her smile on Monday and that she must have been spreading her smiles at the hospital...she emphatically told me she HAD NOT been smiling while there. Just in the last two months, she has had casts on both arms and legs at some point, but I never see her miss a day of school unless she's in the hospital.
So, yesterday afternoon I told her that I was finally going to bring in a special recipe for her to try that we had been talking about for a while...I brought it in before Christmas, but she had missed that day and it got thrown away by mistake by the janitors. I added the amendment to the promise, that "I'm old and tired, so I MAY get home tonight and not get the chance to make it...but I will either tomorrow or for when I'm here next week."
I left school smiling from the conversation, got home and promptly had a horrible cold decide to take over my body along with a migraine. Whimpering like the baby I am, I spent the evening vegging out and didn't get around to the kitchen to make the promised treat. I got up this morning still feeling puny, but for some reason knew I needed to make this and take it into her for my 1/2 day today. I went into the pantry, and of COURSE the garbage disposals I call teenagers had used up a couple of the things needed...what they used all the powdered sugar and peanut butter for I have NO idea and I'm not going there! Anyway..I dressed my pathetic backside and went to the store when it opened, got what I needed, came home and managed to put things together in a special "flashy" little Valentine's container to take in to my sweetie. (Chex Muddy Buddies...some of the best stuff in the world to munch on)
I got to school and on my lunch break took it down to her classroom. The smile on her face was priceless. I still had my headache from hell and somehow it just didn't matter anymore. This precious child was literally giggling knowing I had taken the time to do something just for her. I can't tell you HOW glad I was that I hadn't been lazy this morning and had gotten off my butt to do even this little thing.
I've often wondered about Jasmine's personality. She is so bubbly and bright and optimistic. She's brutally honest and straightforward and I love that. She doesn't want or expect to be treated with kid gloves, even though it is SO tempting to do so given how small she is and how easily she can be hurt. I'd like to think that she'd be exactly the same without her disease, but I truly doubt it. She's taken her life at face value, and lives it to the max without complaints or asking why me. A lot of this comes from the family raising her too...they have raised her to test her limits and to never give up. I don't know how long she has on this earth...for that matter none of us do...but I so hope she's got a long fun life ahead of her amid the pains.
Okay, to wrap this up...I know I've been longwinded, but it's impossible not to be where she is concerned. I tracked her down after school today. She was sitting in her chair...that darned bucket of treats in her lap and her face lit up like the 4th of July when she saw me. She had powdered sugar all over her tiny face and was sharing it with everyone around her, whether they wanted any or not...you don't say no to her. We talked for a while...I didn't care that I needed to get home or about how badly I had felt just 5 minutes before...the talk of weekend plans took priority. She has plans to get her mom to make her hot chocolate, sit eating the Muddy Buddies and watch her favorite shows this weekend...all with that smile I'm betting. That image will stay with me all weekend. I took the picture of her this afternoon while we talked...much to her delight.
A nine year old manages to be one of my heroes...she will always be a part of me and someone I'll never forget. Most adults can never make that claim, to touch lives that way...and here is this tiny little bundle of light...so young, so many hills to climb...and all you see is a normal terrific kid.
I want to introduce you to someone. She's not famous, you won't ever see her running and playing outside on the playgrounds, she will never climb a mountain or swim in the ocean...but she's unique and priceless...a true gem. Her name is Jasmine and she is one of the most special people I know I'll ever meet in this lifetime...she's only 9 years old....and I absolutely adore her.
I met Jasmine a couple of years ago in one of my schools. She rolled into my classroom in a motorized wheelchair...a 7 year old bundle of personality and energy. At the time I didn't know what her challenges might be, and to tell you the truth she intimidated the heck out of me. Here was this child...in second grade, but she looked as if she was about 2 years old. It took about 2 or 3 minutes for me to realize, she was going to give me a run for my money, and she has ever since.
Jasmine has brittle bone disease. She has "grown up" knowing that if she moves too fast or the wrong way, she can snap a bone or have a serious problem. She has been in and out of the hospital all of her young life...had to endure so much pain and things that would make most adults run and hide. She's about 2'4" right now. She told me yesterday that she is hoping one day to make it to 4 feet tall, but would be happy to be 3 feet. I proceeded to tell her that guys love the cute tiny girls, so being a little under tall was a GOOD thing. (I'm only 5'2" and she makes me feel like a giant at times!)
This little girl rolls around the school like a hurricane. Although her body has such severe challenges, her mind is something to behold. I have never seen this child without a smile on her face or without something to say. She and I have had a special relationship since the first time we met, but for some reason, this year it's really started to dawn on me. (I know...I must be purely slow!) Every time she sees me, she shouts me down in the halls...I can't help but smile and get an extra spring to my step whenever I see her. I discovered she LOVES to cook or talk about recipes, so it's become a special thing between the two of us. She is constantly telling me or showing me a new cookbook she's gotten and we share our love of certain dishes.
Earlier this year, I was working with the special education department for a day...and was looking forward to spending a little one on one time with Jasmine. I went to get her from her classroom...she has to have special medical attention on and off during the day... (she is in a regular class and makes terrific grades...and is SO loved by all the other kids in the school)...she and I of course starting our usual banter. She had found a piece of Pyrite or Fool's Gold and wanted to know how much I thought she could get for it. I smiled and told her that with her charm and force of will, I thought she could probably get anything she wanted for it. Without missing a beat, she told me that she could talk anyone into anything and proceeded to make up an entire "story" around the value of this rock. By the time she was through, we were both laughing and I realized I get so much from this special little girl.
This week, on Thursday I ran into her after school. I realized I hadn't seen her on Monday when I had been there, and noticed she had yet another cast on one leg. In typical Jasmine fashion, it wasn't a dull cast, but white with hearts on it in honor of Valentine's Day coming up. I asked her WHAT she had done to herself this time. She told me, Ms. Parks I was back in the hospital this week for 2 days, I had to have another operation. She matter of factly said that one of the rods in her legs that are there to support her frail bones had shifted and they had to go in and put it back where it should be. Now remember, this was a day after she got out of the hospital...most adults would have been at home moaning in bed, but this child was smiling and joking with me. I told her how much I had missed her smile on Monday and that she must have been spreading her smiles at the hospital...she emphatically told me she HAD NOT been smiling while there. Just in the last two months, she has had casts on both arms and legs at some point, but I never see her miss a day of school unless she's in the hospital.
So, yesterday afternoon I told her that I was finally going to bring in a special recipe for her to try that we had been talking about for a while...I brought it in before Christmas, but she had missed that day and it got thrown away by mistake by the janitors. I added the amendment to the promise, that "I'm old and tired, so I MAY get home tonight and not get the chance to make it...but I will either tomorrow or for when I'm here next week."
I left school smiling from the conversation, got home and promptly had a horrible cold decide to take over my body along with a migraine. Whimpering like the baby I am, I spent the evening vegging out and didn't get around to the kitchen to make the promised treat. I got up this morning still feeling puny, but for some reason knew I needed to make this and take it into her for my 1/2 day today. I went into the pantry, and of COURSE the garbage disposals I call teenagers had used up a couple of the things needed...what they used all the powdered sugar and peanut butter for I have NO idea and I'm not going there! Anyway..I dressed my pathetic backside and went to the store when it opened, got what I needed, came home and managed to put things together in a special "flashy" little Valentine's container to take in to my sweetie. (Chex Muddy Buddies...some of the best stuff in the world to munch on)
I got to school and on my lunch break took it down to her classroom. The smile on her face was priceless. I still had my headache from hell and somehow it just didn't matter anymore. This precious child was literally giggling knowing I had taken the time to do something just for her. I can't tell you HOW glad I was that I hadn't been lazy this morning and had gotten off my butt to do even this little thing.
I've often wondered about Jasmine's personality. She is so bubbly and bright and optimistic. She's brutally honest and straightforward and I love that. She doesn't want or expect to be treated with kid gloves, even though it is SO tempting to do so given how small she is and how easily she can be hurt. I'd like to think that she'd be exactly the same without her disease, but I truly doubt it. She's taken her life at face value, and lives it to the max without complaints or asking why me. A lot of this comes from the family raising her too...they have raised her to test her limits and to never give up. I don't know how long she has on this earth...for that matter none of us do...but I so hope she's got a long fun life ahead of her amid the pains.
Okay, to wrap this up...I know I've been longwinded, but it's impossible not to be where she is concerned. I tracked her down after school today. She was sitting in her chair...that darned bucket of treats in her lap and her face lit up like the 4th of July when she saw me. She had powdered sugar all over her tiny face and was sharing it with everyone around her, whether they wanted any or not...you don't say no to her. We talked for a while...I didn't care that I needed to get home or about how badly I had felt just 5 minutes before...the talk of weekend plans took priority. She has plans to get her mom to make her hot chocolate, sit eating the Muddy Buddies and watch her favorite shows this weekend...all with that smile I'm betting. That image will stay with me all weekend. I took the picture of her this afternoon while we talked...much to her delight.
A nine year old manages to be one of my heroes...she will always be a part of me and someone I'll never forget. Most adults can never make that claim, to touch lives that way...and here is this tiny little bundle of light...so young, so many hills to climb...and all you see is a normal terrific kid.
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