A Christmas Story

Yesterday (Friday), during Drawing II, I was in the ceramics class with the rest of my class and we were playing pictionary against the ceramics students. We were all having a semi-fun time and there was a freshman boy who was disabled and sat in a wheelchair. You would think that he is also mentally challenged but this boy was smart. He was just physically disabled, as I found out later. He was having a great time, calling out what was on the chalkboard, and guessing the drawing to be right.

It was finally his turn to go up and draw something on the board. He picked out the word "hot tub" and he decided to draw a top view of a spa. He drew heads on the sides of the hot tub and water. Again, he was physically disabled so his drawing wasn't the best. No one could really make out what he was drawing. Everyone was making their own little side comments about him and as he drew, I heard a classmate say, "This is so pathetically sad." I was so hurt when I heard that. I felt for the freshman boy and I had to do something. I felt tears starting to form in my eyes and I was just furious.

I walked up to the board to ask the boy what his word was. He told me it was "Hot Tub" so I figured out what the picture was supposed to be. I helped him draw it and explained what the things were, like "this is the water" and "these are heads of people". I was talking numbly and the classroom became quiet. It was an extremely sad moment for me because the classmates were making fun of this disabled boy who didn't choose to be the way he is.

Finally, time ran out and I told them what it was supposed to be. The class became obnoxiously (sp?) loud again and no one cared. The freshman boy looked at me, trying to form a smile on his face, but I could see in his eyes that it hurt him. He strolled quietly back to his spot in the classroom and didn't participate the rest of the hour.

When class was over, I stayed back a couple of minutes to help clean the popcorn on the tables. The boy also stayed back and I smiled at him. When I was about to walk out, he called my name and told me, "Thank you for helping me!"

And with that, I became happy again with a tint of sadness. It is something I will always remember.

I learned my lesson and perhaps you will learn from my lesson too. People are thankful for the littlest things, so do those little things like helping out and you will be greatly appreciated. Not only will they feel a sense of happiness but you will too, because you know you did something good.

This is a time of giving! Merry Christmas and God bless!

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aww .. thats so sweet of you ..

almost brought some tears to my eyes when i read it ... i could almost feel what you were feeling .. and his emotions as well ..

though you did what you could .. it was an awesome thing .. and im sure he appreciated more than he could explain ..

true ... it is the littest things that can make someone else feel that much better ...

thanks for sharing !

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