What If All The People In Your World Were Paid To Be There?
“We have only begun to sense the tragic wounds some mentally retarded persons may feel when it dawns on them that the only people relating with them – outside of relatives – are paid to do so. If you or I came to such a sad realization about ourselves, it would rip at our souls to even talk about it. Chances are some of us would cover it up with one noisy, awkward bluff after another and chances are, some professionals seeing us act this way, would say we had ‘maladaptive behavior’. Think about what it would feel like to have even one person come to us and without pay, develop a reliable, long-term relationship with us because he or she wanted to…to literally accept us as we are. Then think of the unspeakable feelings we might possess if – when others were ‘talking down’ to us and ‘putting us in our place’ – that kind person could be counted on to defend us and stick up for us as well. Most of us do have persons like that in our lives. But will the day ever come when retarded citizens will have them too?”
Bob Perske
Listen People
