For a better life
Posted
April 10, 2008 at
8:14 pm by
Allison J
As I sat in front of my computer this evening, getting fired up about other blog comments and posts, this evening’s American Idol episode played in the background.
I was in a bit of a salty mood tonight — husband is traveling, the dog has been sick (caused by stress from having my visiting 2 month old cousin with colic over, of all things), school has been hectic as Spring Break nears, and my parents are vacationing in the Dominican — which left me in charge of taking care of my younger sister.
Now typically I do not watch commercials — the power of digital video recording. However, I was busy typing agitated comments and let the commercials run.
And now I am sitting here in tears.
I hadn’t heard of The Foundation for A Better Life — an organization that utilizes “various media efforts to encourage adherence to a set of quality values through personal accountability and by raising the level of expectations of performance of all individuals regardless of religion or race” — until their commercial came on.
The setting — a high school homecoming dance. A beautiful young lady appears on the stage to announce the homecoming queen. The winner — another beautiful young lady, who happens to have Down Syndrome. She enters the stage to applause. Her face lights up — and my eyes fill with tears.
You see, my younger sister Rebecca is a wonderfully smart, silly, and sweet gal. She loves playing pranks, watching movies, singing, and Sandra Bullock. Seriously, she LOVES Sandra Bullock. She also happens to have Down Syndrome.
As I rewound the commercial for another look, I caught the caption - “A True Story.” How wonderful. How beautiful. How inspiring.
If you need a break from negativity, take a few seconds to watch the commercial.
Tags: Down-Syndrome, For-a-Better-Life, Foundation-for-a-better-life, inspiration, special-needs |
7 Responses to “For a better life”
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1. ExCareerGal said:
April 10, 2008 @ 8:28 pm
I agree. My daughter and I were watching American Idol and we saw the commercial. My 8 year old daughter said immediatly afterwards,” You know mommy, some people may think that girl was not so pretty but I think she is as beautiful as any of the other girls.” I was teary after the commericial but I was very proud after hearing my daughter. I must be doing something right!
Janna
2. Allison J said:
April 10, 2008 @ 9:05 pm
3. Philly said:
April 11, 2008 @ 7:45 am
I thought that was a wonderful commerical , especially during American Idol !!
PS…couldn’t believe Carly was in the bottom 3 !
4. Rita said:
April 11, 2008 @ 8:36 am
That was a nice commercial. It is great that people with different qualities are being given more “face time.” One of my former clients was a DS guy who had been born with a host of unfortunate health ailments that sometimes accompany that genetic makeup. He died very young (in his mid-30’s) and his foster mother paid for one of those big, full page obituary spots out of her own pocket, because she said that you just don’t see enough black men with Down’s Syndrome in photographs. I still have the paper, in my own scrap book, and I’ll always remember her small contribution in helping the world take a new look at different people. Back then, that was what, 15 years ago? A commercial like this wouldn’t have run so favorably. It’s nice that the world is changing.
5. Grandma frm Ks. said:
June 14, 2008 @ 12:07 am
Allison J, Iknow this has been on a while, but I just ran accross it, and have to comment, ExCareer Gal said she must be doing some thing right for her daughter to re-act the way she did, I agree, but your parents did to. The more I read about ppl with DS or other handicaps, the more my heart breaks, but as the commercial showed there is hope , there is so much beauty in them, You said “if you need a break from negativity” I can’t think of any thing to complain about, nothing. You know I have looked at your picture and read your stories and all I can say is You Are One Strong Woman, Not every one could handle this situation, but the Good Lord knows who can, Thank You for all the hearts you touch.
6. SHS said:
June 14, 2008 @ 1:54 pm
I have been touched personally by a person with DS. He swam with my daughter’s swim team for years and competed in the Special Olympics. He was not allowed to compete with her club as he had too many false starts (went in too early, fell etc…)it did slow down the meet and interfere with the other swimmer’s. However, he understood that he just couldn’t get the starts down. He had a ball training with the rest of the team, and was very much a part of things. Very high functioning kid! He always had a hug for the parent’s and was one of the most polite kids I have ever met. His parent’s always treated him like the rest of thier kids…no special treatment. Just wanted to share that.
7. momof3 said:
June 14, 2008 @ 9:52 pm
What an awesome commercial! I didnt watch a whole lot of AI this year so I didnt see this comm. then, but Im glad to see it now! I wish more teens were like those from that high school! What an awesome memory for that girl! And to know that everyone loved her so much is truely heart warming!