Trying

     We attended my 12 year old's choir Christmas concert, which was a wonderful experience. The singing from all the age groups was touching and beautiful as was the music from the brass quintet which played as well. What brought tears to my eyes was the ferocious concentration of my daughter as she struggled to sing, smile and sometimes dance, all at the same time. I sometimes forget how difficult it is for her to do more than one thing at a time. As her mother, even I lose track of my daughter's abilities and disabilities. I have to be dragged back sometimes, to remember. As my daughter has no outward signs that she is an additional needs child, with a profoundly challenging learning disorder, even we sometimes expect that she can do everything a typical child can do. I am always having to tell people or remind them what her limits are, at various times, in different situations. But sometimes, even I forget. When I saw her on the stage, I remembered. Even the seemingly simple, joyous experience of singing and smiling and dancing is not easy for everyone. It's not easy for my daughter but she tries and tries and tries. And that's only one of the things that we love about her.