Did anyone get to watch the Hallmark movie on TV Sunday night? What an amazing story! It was about a teacher who has tourettes syndrome. It is not all about swearing uncontrollably- it is twitches and sounds and other involuntary body movements. He was 12 before someone (his mom actually) figured out what was wrong. She took him to a support group with the belief that they would learn how to live with it. When they got to the meeting, they found that there was no support and people were just hiding from the world and suggesting they do the same. The mom apologized to the boy (Brad) and said they needed to just forget they were ever there. Brad said he didn't want to forget. He said those people let tourettes win, and he was never going to let it win. He talks constantly throughout the movie about tourettes being his constant companion, but he never let it win. He learned the strengths and weaknesses of his companion. The mom talked about how the school kept blaming bad parenting for Brad's outburst. Let me tell you - that mom had to be the best mom! Brad was so confident and held his head high no matter where he was and no matter how much his companion was yelling out. He was open and honest about it and had a great self esteem. He broke down a couple of times, but when he would confide in his mom she would always point out that he was going to let his companion win if he didn't follow through or if he kept feeling bad about whatever it was that was going on. Those words were great motivators! He was determined to never let it win- in the end he was awarded teacher of the year and during his speech he thanked his constant companion for being his greatest teacher. just amazing-
So why am I writing about a movie? It made me think... fat was my constant companion. It was my disability-my handicap. It IS my disability- my handicap. Anything I wanted to do in life, but didn't was because of my fat. I let my fat be the silent excuse for not trying new things. I let my fat be the silent excuse to keep me in the house and not be social. I assumed people didn't like me because of my fat. I wonder how many friends I missed out on by assuming this.
Is fat still my constant companion? YES - and it will always be a part of me. I will always remember the things I went through, gave up, missed out on, etc. being fat. Fat- my constant companion- my disability- my teacher......
until I blog again...
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