Coping With Down

She was an excellent student
When she was in school
And rightfully proud
Of the sharpness of her mind.
When she got married,
The guy she selected
Was equally as educated
And intelligent as she.
Both of them were excited
About their future together
And the life
They would likely lead.
They looked forward
To having a family
And within a year
Their first son was born.
They had always assumed
That their children would be
Healthy and vivaciously alive,
A reflection of them,
But their child had Down Syndrome.
For the longest time,
The young mother couldn’t talk
About her child without crying.
She pleaded to know why
This fate had befallen her,
Wondering what she had done
To deserve this,
Silently cursing the God
That would allow
Such a thing to happen.
Only after she had learned
To accept her child
As perfect the way he is,
Could she begin to do something
About the hand
They had been dealt.
She realized her son
May be slow,
But he could still learn.
She knew without a doubt
That no one could rightfully say
What her child
Could or couldn’t do,
Anymore they can define
The limits of what
You or I can do.
She refused to allow
Her son to be relegated to
The special education dust heap.
She fought for him
Every step of the way
So that he could be in regular classes
And live a normal life.
She believed in him
When no one else would,
And her faith has paid
Dividends beyond measure.
Her child is now eleven years old,
Lives the life of a normal child,
Is fully loved the way he is,
And makes his parents proud.