Monday, March 26, 2012

5 comments:

Hey Louise,

I like these pictures. What can I say,"Ben was the life of the party!!!"

Also, I've spent two years reading and writing on BLOOM, trying to share my experiences while learning as much as possible about severe disability, as I wish to one day be a voice for all, but last night Ben was my greatest teacher. He was my friend who made me smile, as I read out the menu. He blew the whistle, which you see above, as loud as he could, and even when others told him to stop, because he was making another friend laugh, a boy with greater challenges than his own. He opened his heart to all, not merely due to the fact that he wanted a birthday party, but because he wished to include others by simply spending a couple of hours with them. Your son, and my friend, a yung man with a cognitive impairment, and physical disabilities, found a way to say, "I see you and you're not alone. Thanks for coming. I love you."

Some people want, so desperately, to rid the world of disability, or those which they view as "foreign alien or subhuman." However, I'm here to tell them, "Please, before deciding anything, 'Just spend a few hours, doing what Ben did --putting others before before himself'; for, you may not only find "our common humanity, or the better part of yourself, but the person that you wholeheartedly yearn to be."

Happy Birthday Ben and thanks for being you!!!

love
matt

We weren't saying no about the whistle blowing, it was more about the eating his own weight in bread, haha. We had great great time, we were loud, ate fast, wore party hats and sang twice. We had yummy dessert. Parties only get better as you get older and ask Marjorie and Sallyanne to throw them. Bowling at the bar next year Bennie Boy.

Cool!! Hope Ben and everyone had a whale of a time :) I love that Ben told you who to invite to the party, nice one Ben!!

Wow Happy Birthday Ben! Today is my daughter Ashley's birthday she turning 7 and celebrating with a big gymnastics party with many friends this weekend. I love birthdays as long as they are not mine.

Yes, definitely get Marjorie and Sallyanne to throw the party!!!

Thank you to all.

Matt