Morning Musing Over Coffee - Learning on the Less Traveled Road



credit: Michelle Meiklejohn

I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. ~ Psalm 139:14

Our house is not a "normal" household. Our household is made up of many children - biological, adopted, foster or here for daycare we are all "family."  Common terms at our house are Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NLD), Dyslexia, ADD/ADHD, Mood Disorder, Intellectual Disability (ID), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Autism, Sleep Disorder,  Static Encephalopathy, Ankle Clonus, and Asthma.  On any given day we discuss hearing loss, physical therapy, medication, doctors appointments, IEP meetings, etc, etc. . . .

But these are not what define us. 

Because our house is also filled with laughter, music, learning, delight, games, creativity, experimentation, prayer and love. And more and more I am learning to look away from the labels - especially the disorder and disability parts of the labels. Because there is an amazing amount of ability and creativity and originality in everyone of these kids. To each of them life is an adventure and they are ready to live the adventure and see where it takes them.

I am learning the value of the following quotes. I'm learning because the kids are teaching me. They have unique perspectives on life that I would probably miss on my own. And I am realizing how these lessons apply to me and how important it is for me to be the person God created me to be without trying to be like anyone else.

Don't think you're on the right road just because it's a well-beaten path. ~ Author Unknown

Most people are more comfortable with old problems than with new solutions. ~ Author Unkown

You don't get harmony when everybody sings the same note. ~ Doug Floyd

Labels are for filing. Labels are for clothing. Labels are not for people. ~ Martina Navratilova

A man must consider what a rich realm he abdicates when he when he becomes a conformist. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Not all those who wander are lost. ~ J.R.R. Tolkien

Our wretched species is so made that those who walk on the the well-trodden path always throw stones at those who are showing a new road. ~ Voltaire

The conventional view serves to protect us from the painful job of thinking. ~ J. K. Galbraith

If you keep doing things like you've always done them, what you'll get is what you've already got. ~ Author Unknown

The most damaging phrase in the language is: "It's always been done that way." ~ Grace Hopper

And one more for good measure . . .

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. ~ Dr. Seuss

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