But for my 400th post tonight, I figured I'd go a different route.
I was working on next week's homework on Sparky Jr., my aging PC. It gave me the predictable "OMG YOU'RE OUT OF RAM" error, followed by the "I WILL NOW USE YOUR HARD DRIVE (a.k.a. "page file") AS FAKE RAM; AS A RESULT, YOUR COMPUTER WILL SLOW TO A CRAWL," followed by the "OMG, I USED ALL YOUR DISK SPACE FOR THE PAGE FILE; PLEASE DELETE FILES SO I CAN USE MORE."
In other words, Sparky Junior is sick.
(Sounds like whining, I know -- just go with me here.)
Instead of getting annoyed, I thought about how my shower doesn't shock me, there are no alligators outside my door, and I can count on electricity any time of the day.
(Huh???? You are now asking. I know.)
A while back, I mentioned, I think, my surprise at discovering that the girl on Signing Time was none other than the little girl I met when I first started working as an aide, who realized -- at the age of maybe 5 -- that although I sign some, I had no idea what the other kids were saying, and slowly told me her name was L - E - A - H.
Well, I discovered that Leah's mom Rachel has a blog, right around the time she was preparing a trip to Ghana (either with the help of, or in association with, Signs of Hope International -- I forget which).
Yep, Ghana.
Now that they're back, Rachel has been posting a trip report of their trip to Ghana. It's fascinating, and more than a little sobering.
And then I read Day 8, which contained an account of their tour of a castle built during the slave trade. They toured places where slaves had been kept, and where difficult slaves were kept. I don't want to "spoil" it, but suffice it to say, Leah's reaction to the whole thing -- especially her matter-of-fact declaration (reported by her mom, but still) of what she would have done in the same circumstances -- was...well, thought-provoking is putting it mildly.
But it makes you think. Yeah, Sparky Jr. is about to self-destruct, and, yeah, I've been trying really hard to come down with the flu for the last two weeks...but I'm not going to be shoved into a dark cell and holed up until I die. I don't have to worry about being eaten by an alligator while I go to get my tooth brush.
I don't even have to worry about my shower shocking me.
We take a lot -- a lot -- for granted, and I think it's good once in a while to think about that.
3 comments:
I agree. In fact, when things start to suck in my life I always think of two things
1) a documentary I saw once where these people were allergic to water.
and
2) many different stories I heard/read about where children were abused...mainly one where this little girl was chained to the couch and had only five inches of chain to "work with".
when things aren't going well and I start to feel sorry for myself I stop and think "at least you aren't allergic to water, and you aren't chained to your couch."
I say it enough that McKay and Gentry can finish the sentence. "At least you aren't....."
never hurts to have some perspective.
It's nice to know someone is reading about our trip to Ghana :) I am thankful to be home, that's for sure. Leah gave me another "thought provoking" comment when we got home. It will be posted tomorrow.
CHIME was a LONG time ago! Leah was supposed to be in Pre-K but tested into Kindergarten and was able to attend the program there at age 4. She has always gone out of her way to help others understand her. That is SO Leah.
If you search "Deaf Spelling Bee" on youtube, you can watch Leah rock her school spelling bee last year. She is still very bright and letting nothing stop her.
Lucy is brilliant as well and a miracle in her own right.
~Rachel
I didn't realize how long ago CHIME was, really, until recently when you posted about Leah's birthday, and I realized that some of the kids I knew then are in middle school. Yikes!
Thanks for the comment. :-) I've been reading the blog for a while, but I generally don't comment much.
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