These Are the Days of Miracle and Wonder - Paul Simon

Make no mistake; this has been an historic week. The momentous news began on Tuesday, November 6^th, continued over the next several days and it had nothing to do with the election. On Tuesday, my daughter Grace, a 25-year-old adult with Down syndrome, had her annual Individual Support Plan (ISP) Meeting. The meeting has been held each year since she entered the world of adult services and includes staff from the program she attends, a representative from the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services (DDS), Grace, her mother and myself.

During the meeting, the Career Development Coordinator at her program mentioned the possibility of some leads coming together that could result in a job interview for Grace. We’ve been hearing this for a few years so the news was met with cautious optimism at best.

By Thursday, the phone call came: Grace has a job interview scheduled for next Tuesday at a small local chain restaurant to become a lunchtime hostess. Her schedule would be 2-3 days per week, 2-3 hours per day. If you listen closely, you can hear the heavenly tones of a band of angels singing. The majority of you won’t be able to hear it; but the few who can know exactly what I’m talking about.

On Friday, while the rest of the country was either rejoicing at the election results, or wringing their hands over what could have been, I found myself driving to work almost being brought to tears at the thought of Grace welcoming patrons to a restaurant and showing them to their table. I felt chills when I shared the news with a friend at work.

 It’s been 25 years, 5 months, 9 days, and 13 hours since Grace was born. It’s been 25 years, 5 months, 9 days, 12 hours and 40 minutes that we’ve lived with the knowledge of Grace having Down syndrome. Twenty minutes after she was born, the pediatrician we had chosen from a Fort Myers, Florida Yellow Pages advised us that because of Down syndrome, Grace would never walk or talk, and would not live very far into her teenage years. We probably shouldn’t even take her home was his advice. Nostradamus he was not.

Grace not only walks and talks, she slices and dices. She can dance circles around most adults (tap, jazz, she is adept at many) and impresses most with her technological know-how, including programming apps on her iPhone5. She is active in a social club, plays sports year round, and has favorite TV shows. Curious about who came in 6^th in America’s Next Top Model Cycle 12? Grace knows.

What is lacking in her life is purpose. I know her purpose in the grand sense; I found mine thanks to her. I mean she lacks her own purpose. All she really wants is to get up in the morning and go someplace where she can be a contributing member of society. It’s such a simple request yet a very complicated challenge.

How big was this news within our family? Her mother, stepmother and I have been ABUZZ since being notified. We've coached Grace with tips on how to interview appropriately, bought nice clothes for the meeting, strategized about the transportation for the day. This is BIG.

Woody Allen said, “80% of success is showing up.” Grace has been showing up for over 25 years. She is beyond ready to enjoy her next success, small or large. On Tuesday she will interview for the first job of her adult life. It is the chance of a lifetime for her. It’s funny how the seemingly simplest things in life can be the most profound.

Update 11/14/12: Grace has accepted the position of Lunchtime Hostess at Sylvan Street Grille and will be working two days per week.