Different

Like in the book, Foolishly Forgotten Americans, being different is not bad. God the Father of us all created us different. On my wall, I have a plaque given to me by a dear friend that reads: “Isn’t it Great God made us Different. How boring it would be if we were all alike." As children we were taught to love those who were different. My father and mother wanted a family. After several miscarriages the doctors told her she probably would not have children. Then they were blessed with a daughter, beautiful and kind, the next child was a handsome son with a heart defect. One of the valves in his heart did not close. His skin had a blue cast to it. He was called a “Blue Baby." Another son and three more daughters were born before “Donny”, as we called him, died. We understood that he was different and we were to be gentle with him. Mother did not want him to go to school, but her doctor said that would be a mistake. She started him in school with his brother. The children shunned him, pointed him out and would have little to do with him because they did not understand his condition. His older sister, realizing what was happening, took over and at recess and lunch would be his friend and take him to lunch. What a blessing for him and a great lesson to us as children, to love the ones that were different.