24:15 The Nub Of The Story

How to have a disabled child: just love them like any other kid. That's it. You could stop reading here if you wanted to since that's my entire thesis. Or you could listen to my story.

I have a son with Down Syndrome who is now five years old. Here on the 'Net we call him Nub. He's a short, sawed-off little guy, so the name kinda fits. The Free Dictionary defines nub as:

1. A protuberance or knob.

2. A small lump.

3. The essence; the core: the nub of a story.

We define him as our toddler on steroids. He is celebrating his third anniversary of his second birthday. A lovably cute boy, he's got the strength and reach of a five year old with the understanding of a two year old.

Still with me? Ok, look, I didn't ask to have a son with Down Syndrome. In fact, if I was honest with myself, I probably asked God not to have any kids with "special needs". I only knew two or three people with DS growing up and I was a little freaked out by them. I mean, they are retarded; they just sit there like some kind of lump - a nub. They're all so awkward and uncomfortable and inconvenient. Sure, we're all God children, and we'll be kind to them and everything, but couldn't they just be somewhere else, with someone else?

What kind of insensitive jerk are you? Well, just like anyone, only more so. [...]

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