Two comments

I’ll be dealing with my own bags in the terminal for the rest of my life. Almost everybody else will be doing something similar, I reckon. And then there will be some sad cases that got mixed up somewhere along the line, trundling around, unloved and unwanted. There will be others full of bad secrets and illegal contraband. Most will just have the crisply ironed hopes of a good time ahead or the crumpled memories of one just gone. Either way, whatever the baggage status, everybody’s journey will be just theirs alone, no matter how much we share. Consider the breadth of understanding that exists between the two quotes below.

The first is  from my good friend Elbog, about his daughter Emma, a force of nature (and I do not mean that in the clichéd smashes-trees-and-tears-down-powerlines way) who is showing him himself every day. Nine years of human learning distilled into twenty words of truth. I want to embarrass this man by telling him how wonderful he is, despite his obvious failings (He’s American AND from the West Coast), but I will resist. If you do visit his thought-provoking blog, the perfectly named Bittersweet, please go singly. He’s skittish with crowds. About Emma:

She requires you to deal with who you are; you cannot pretend, pretense means nothing. There is no denial available.

The second arrived two days ago to this blog’s comment box. Just a foolish comment from an idiot. But it’s good to know that we all are different, and while there’s a lot we share, there’s much on this journey that is ours alone. My instinct was to bin it (and I haven’t published the uglier part of it) but what would I learn from that?

Calling a ‘tard a ‘tard is the most harmless insult one can commit, after all, they’re generally so stupid as to be incapable of focusing on the same though for more than a few seconds, so it’s not like they’re even going to remember being insulted 30 seconds down the road.

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Carer’s Allowance under threat from ill-informed bureaucracy

Image thanks Ozio-Bao

Hammie has done a lot of fantastic work on this post at Irish Autism Action, outlining the frankly terrifying work that’s going on behind the scenes in civil service land here in Ireland. In short, under cover of the economic times, Carer’s Allowance for those looking after kids with special needs is under threat. Assessment is changing, toxic misinformation is seeping out and a lot of already hugely pressurised people are scared witless at the prospect of having their meagre support slashed. You’d be up late if you were paranoid. If you aren’t, start now.

An excerpt:

At no point were parents or advocates representing parents and carers consulted in the process. This is a payment for people who live with and care for a child with a disability. And they didn’t consult anyone who actually does this full time.

Everybody knows that we all have to face tough times. And most everybody I know is willing to make the sacrifices necessary. But this, all frivolity aside, will put suicidal thoughts in people’s heads. It is quite simply misguided at best, and nightmarishly sinister at worst.

We will have to resist, resist at every turn, and do what it takes to imprint on bureaucracy that even faceless actions by the untutored can have the most severe repercussions.

This is really great reporting from Hammie, and I am extremely grateful to her for it. Read it all here. Most especially if you care for someone with special needs here in Ireland.