Exclusion isn't Just Another Word!

For so many of you the word exclusion doesn’t hold much weight. It is just a word. 

To me and so many others it is a word that instantly brings you to tears, anger, distrust, empathy, or all of the above. It is a word that we are battling every single day.

Exclusion: the act of shutting or keeping out :  the state of being shut or kept out

There are times when exclusion is intentional and then there are these times that creep up on you that are completely unintentional. And you are beside yourself. You are at a loss for words. Your feelings pour out of your eyes and drip off of your face until you see a puddle of emotions form on your desk. 

Today, this happened to Sophie. It wasn’t intentional but nonetheless, it left me broken. My heart is in pieces all because my daughter was at the mercy of someone else.

Sophie was supposed to go swimming with her class today. She was going to wear her adorable pink flamingo swimsuit with an orange beak coming off of her left shoulder. She was going to try out a new flotation device specifically designed for kids like Sophie who don’t know that they can’t just put their head in the water. She was going to make memories with her classmates and friends. She was going to laugh so hard today that she would feel it in her soul. Sophie was going to do all of this today until one of her teacher aids called in sick. Because of Sophie needing extra help with everything she does Sophie has to stay behind.

When I read this text this morning a flood of emotion hit me. I instantly started crying. Where was all of this coming from? I was mad at her teacher for talking me in to letting Sophie go for the past 3 days and then taking it all away from her. I was mad at the teachers aid for getting sick. But I still love her teacher! I was sad because Sophie was unintentionally being left out. I was heartbroken that Sophie can’t do things that other kids do because of how God made her.

Then the tears came. A lot of them. I couldn’t stop them. I know that it is in Sophie’s best interest for her safety to stay behind. I know that this is a decision they had to make and that it is the right decision. Just because it is right doesn’t make it any easier for me to swallow.

This is the first time that Sophie has been kept from doing things that other kids are doing. She has always been on the other field trips. She has always eaten the same snacks. She has always been on the same playground at school. Until today!

Today is different. Today will leave me wounded. Today is a reminder that this is just the beginning of so many things that Sophie won’t be able to do because she’s left at the mercy of someone else to help her. Today my heart needs a band-aid. Today is a reminder of what we are fighting so hard for.

I have been asked so many times why I am trying to raise the funds to build a Boundless Playground. This people. This right here is why. With everything that our children will be left out of, their right to play shouldn’t be one of them. We all want the same things for our children. We want them to be involved, wanted and included. We want them to have the opportunity to do the same things, make the same memories and live the same type of life. You wouldn't settle for anything less, why should we? We fight for inclusion because anything less is unacceptable. 

My tears are gone. My heart is still heavy. My love for Sophie’s teacher remains. My spirit is broken!