Today, I observed one of my close friends interacting with his profoundly disabled daughter, a young woman who is an infant, cognitively. I found the interaction to be very moving. Her face showed the simple joy of being with her father and playing with the toys she had with her, a joy that was not complicated by the “complexities of consciousness, language, ethics, treachery, revulsion, reason, religion, premeditation or free will” (Lance Morrow, Time magazine, 1988). Her father’s face also showed the joy of love and connection, though his look was more complex, due to adult/parental concerns. Their obvious connection also had an impact on others that were present. I felt a warmth and gratitude for the power and existence of love and connection. To me, that symbolized a large part of what my recovery is about. In the past, I would have been too distracted by the things I considered important to notice.
I also know of her problem times and her crying out in pain. Both feelings are very much a part of her and his life. I can readily identify with the joy and the problem times, though my disability is not nearly as severe. I have experienced both feelings, occasionally at the same time.
