"You only see the outside of me": Dwight Core, Jr

The link is to an article in our local paper, discussing the placement of a home-video about Dwight in the Library of Congress. A fitting tribute, I must say. There is a video link in the article.

Watch it, but have tissues ready.

No amount of preaching is needed as commentary on this video; it speaks quite plainly for itself. But the mom in me felt stabbed to the heart to hear Dwight's father's voice "explain" that Dwight was "severely retarded".

There are 30 years separating Dwight and Emily, and for all the problems I have encountered with misunderstanding schools and health-care professionals, no one has ever used the term "severely retarded" to me. And yet, when I look at Dwight I see Emily. When I see Dwight playing in his backyard, I know (it's so obvious, to eyes that can see) that Dwight was never "severely retarded" and the only difference between Dwight and Emily was thirty years of elapsing time.

May the next thirty years bring as much change in expectations.

mary