Ripple Effect

This personal blog of mine was designated, by me, to be my place where I write about my discoveries of who I am.  As I write this I giggle, a little, because, basically, I was trying to keep separate the Brendon's Smile Foundation and my work as an advocate for pediatric stroke from my self discoveries...DUH! I say "duh" because that work (among a gazillion other things) is a HUGE part of discovering who I am.  This work did inspire me to write again in the first place - a blog I started on Caring Bridge about the journey of my son, Brendon, who endured a stroke before he was born (www.caringbridge.org/visit/brendonssmile) .  I was "told" by an internal voice (no voices in my head here...my intuition) over six years ago to share Brendon's story and our journey as a way to help others.  I guess, as I have continued to write about our journey over the years I was reminded about how much I love to write - did a lot of it in high school and, in fact, started out at the University of Missouri, Columbia as a Journalism major only to find out I didn't want to go through the program and found myself working toward an undergraduate degree in Psychology (so funny that for some reason I can never spell that word the first time I type it ever; maybe it is reminding me to take a serious look at what it means).   So now I combine my love for writing with my love for the study of mental functions and behaviors of animals (humans included) in this blog and on facebook, often listing myself as the main subject matter.  I like to even take it a step further and add an extra dimension of Spiritual development.

What inspired this "Aha Moment", a.k.a. realization, was the fact that a friend of mine shared with me a blog written by a mother of a beautiful daughter with "special needs."  It took me back to the beginning of our journey and it ignited my thinking about all I have learned and all that I have written about in the past.  Then it resigned me to the fact that this experience of raising a child with needs above and beyond the average child is a big part of my Spiritual growth.  The reason why I want to share with the world the lessons I have learned as to maybe help another person or, even someday, the masses.

I am 41-year-old, retired Social Worker, Police Officer, wife (for the second time) and mother of two BEAUTIFUL little people among several other titles including adopted daughter with a biological family where I am still trying to figure out my place in that category. I can write volumes about every meaningful experience in my life that has helped me develop, spiritually - seriously, is there one person who can't?!  But, I actually feel compelled to share and not everyone does.  I have had the wonderful pleasure of being exposed to so much in my life.  I feel that each experience is the part of the mold of who I have become and who I continue to be.

At this point in my life I choose to be positive - with the disclaimer that I am human and do experience human motions that sometimes become a part of the lesson - but I do have a sarcastic whit about me.  (I came from a very low point from my teen years and, at times, in my twenties.) I have NEVER blamed (yeah, I will go there) God, the Higher Power in which I believe is the Creator of all, for the issues I have endured or my son endures or my family endures. Brendon actually has put that in perspective for me when I was feeling quite low.

With all of this being said I will tell you that it is the love I have for my family (my husband and children) and my friends, along with people who have opened their hearts to me is why I share and intend to inspire and share.  I feel that when you put goodness and love out in the world it turns into something bigger and better.  Just think about when  stranger smiles at you, you turn and smile at another stranger and the next thing you know is you have a bunch of smiling strangers that may actually turn a bad day into a good day for one or many.   I try to make it a point to remember that each person I come into contact in a day is a person who has feelings - having the capacity to experience joy or grief - and just maybe needing a friendly face.  I try to be conscious of what I can't see.

Go out in the world today and smile!

PS: Babies, even unborn, and children have strokes, too! ~Jessica J. Spear