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.
