special olympics

We had Special Olympics today here at Ye Olde PC. It was a very early for myself and many others, but, despite the overcast weather, a very beautiful morning. This is a program I've always heard many, many good things about, but have never had an opportunity to be a part of. How blessed I am to have experienced it this morning. Opening Ceremonies where beautiful. Watching the boy who carried the torch run around the track with the hugest smile on his face about brought me to tears. What an honor he felt. The parade was incredible as well. I cheered the most then than I ever have standing in that football stadium. Smile after smile after smile proudly walked around the track. I worked at Olympic Town which basically meant I got to do what I do best - act like a four year old. I played with bubbles and danced my own dance and colored and face painted. Timothy, the coolest kid I know, won first place at the tennis ball throw, and when he wasn't running around blowing huge bubbles or throwing pie after pie after pie after pie after pie, he flashed his blue ribbon. He was a punk of kid and threw things at me, and flashed his camera in my eyes, popped balloons despite one PC student's repetitive request that he not (ok, I'm the one that kept giving him balloons in order for him to pop them...). He was impossible to keep track of and never stopped running around. He also enjoyed throwing water on people. Wild Child. And yet, a few moments before he had to leave, he came up to me and gave me a big hug. I miss him already. My friend Allan, another avid water-thrower, would follow me and ask me why I did everything I did. "Why are you dancing that way? You look goofy. Why are you making that stupid looking face?" and so on. He stole prizes and threw them at other athletes. Then, it came time to break down Olympic Town and clean up. He helped me carry two heavy ass tables. Another woman came up to me at Olympic Town with a giant, laughing smile, and then opened up her jacket to show me her third place ribbon that she could not have been prouder of. It's just plain awesome.

On another note, I truly believe in the good in people. I believe we are naturally good, not evil. How could you believe otherwise? There are a lot of folks that I will admit I judge. I judge them because I think they're wrong in some ways. They annoy me or aggravate me. I lose patience with them. But they are good and they are God's children and my brothers. People are good.

Everything was quiet except for the birds. And all God's creation said, "Poo-tee-weet."