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Monday, December 31, 2007

Hoping

The postings on this site ares my own and don't necessarily represent IBM's positions, strategies or opinions.

Possibilities Are Endless

A developmentally-disabled guy is bagging our groceries at Shoprite earlier today.

He asks, "Did you get that hat in India?"

"Yes, I did. I lived there for six months and just got back. It's a cricket cap. Cricket is like baseball --"

"I know what cricket is. It's like baseball, but the bat is wide and you throw like this [he winds his arm up and throws an invisible ball overhand toward the floor]."

"That's right. I didn't know what cricket was, really, till I went to India."

Pat says to him, "You know more about it than most people [in this country]."

We thank him and wish him a happy new year. I walk away inspired.

Straightening up for the New Year's dinner we'll host for our friends David and Gerard, I see a postcard of a show for an artist with whom I was friendly when I lived in Chicago, Riva Lehrer. Much of Riva's art focuses on physical disability.

Riva's work and the conversation with the grocery bagger this afternoon remind me that all of us have gifts and ought to express them. Also, the qualities that society sometimes thinks ought to limit us differentiate us and can serve as our core motivation and means to connect with others.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Sarah -
I happened upon your post today while self-googling, I confess. What a great surprise. I have wondered where you were, who you were these days, how your story has unfolded. Is Armonk in NY? Do you ever get down to NYC? I am going to be there in early Feb (something like 7-12) and would love to have a coffee-ish thing should that be of interest to you.

My email is rivalehrer@sbcglobal.net.

Happy, happy new year,

Riva L.

Sarah Siegel said...

Riva, yes, Armonk's in NY, about an hour outside of NYC. I'd love to see you when you're here. I'll write to you separately. How great to be back in touch!