Firstly, Hi! I’m Nicole, a new intern at Friendship Circle. I’m excited to share an inside view of the organization and what I’ve learned so far. Here’s are three ways that I think we should all strive to be more like individuals with special needs.
This has been my experience, but of course, no two people are the same. I hope reading through that you’re encouraged to open yourself to connect and learn from every individual you encounter!
Share emotions without the fear of judgment.
When I was participating in Friendship Circle’s Lounge, the behavioral therapist was sharing that she had lost her cat. It was not explicitly said that the cat had passed away and one of the participants noticed.
He asked with sadness in his voice ‘Did the cat die?’
She told them he did. He looked so sad and other participants started jumping in.
Finally, it was shared with the room that even though the fact that her cat passed away, there were other living cats who were alive and well. Everyone in the room rejoiced with this knowledge.
None of them thought to hold in their sadness at the knowledge the cat passes away, instead, they expressed themselves and wanted all of the facts.
2. Tell it like it is
A new friend at Friendship Circle told me they like the purple in my hair. Another, asked me why I took off my make-up when I only removed my lipstick. They simply told me exactly how they perceived me whereas I often feel uncomfortable stating things to other people out of fear of offending them. Their honesty is refreshing.
3. Let your feelings out!
Some of the friends I met display tics which are generally uncontrollable physical expression, sometimes from excitement or nervousness. Although it’s uncontrollable, I admire that they don’t bottle up their emotions. They express what their experiencing through some kind of physical outlet. Imagine how much kinder and more relaxed we’d all be without holding in so much all the time?
Diversity is an essential component of the world. Open yourself to interact with people who experience the world differently whether it’s because of culture, religon, socio-economic status, or disability. It’s time to step out of your comfort zone and you’ll develop a deeper sense of the world and create meaningful relationships.
