I see

I hear

I feel

Am I the only one who can?

Why do you rush when there’s nothing but time?

Why don’t you dance when the music comes on?

Is it because people are watching?

Show them how amazing you are!

Why wear beige and seep into walls?

Why not wear red — be a standout instead?

Be proud of who you are!

Don’t just walk

Look around

Catch the brilliance in the ground

Do you know what I mean?

Silver flecks in the pavement shine like diamonds when the sun hits them just right

There is so much beauty in ordinary things

Do you see it?

I’d rather look ahead than down at my phone

Look at me

What do you see?

Aren’t I spectacular?

Look at you

You’re terrific too

Don’t you see it?

Do you hear the ocean when it speaks to you?

It’s talking in waves

Do you listen?

“Shhhh,” it whispers

I know what it means

Do you?

I’ll tell you a secret

We make too much noise

We love to hear ourselves talk

Don’t we?

Our voices are shrill

We want to be heard

But do we hear?

We should listen more

The ocean is smart

Why else would it be so big?

When I swim I am drenched with hugs

That’s because the Earth is special and so is God

And He loves me

God made the ocean and that’s why it holds me

It holds you too

But do you feel it?

Do you taste the salty kisses?

That’s how the ocean says hello

Do you say good morning to your family?

Or do you grunt instead?

Do you tell them you love them?

If you don’t, you should

People are grumpy a lot it seems

Maybe it’s because they’re tired all the time

People need to rest more

And take vacations

I love Disney World

You can get your picture taken with all the princesses

I like to pretend I’m a princess

Elsa from Frozen is my favorite

When I feel sad I say to myself, “I am a princess”

Or I pretend I’m Bethany Hamilton, my hero

And that makes everything better

When you feel sad, you should try it

And music

Never forget the music

Listen to your favorite song on repeat until you drive your parents crazy

And dance until your feet hurt

But the most important thing…

Smile

October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month. This poem was inspired by and written with the assistance of my daughter, Elizabeth, who happens to have an extra chromosome. Her family and friends celebrate her beautiful accomplishments and zest for life every single day.