Category Archives: Uncategorized

In the year 2016…

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Bridge over the Humber River in winterWhat is it about a new year that makes us reflective? Endings, whether real or imagined, help us make sense of what came before, neatly tidying the inherent randomness of life into coherent wholes. Smarter people than I have written about this elsewhere. Endings force us to look where we stand and to reflect on the path that brought us here. Through the lens of an end, we can evaluate the success of our actions and commit to do better, if we’re not happy.

In the early days of 2015, in the interest of making myself more accountable, I used this space to pledge personal goals around being active, creating, reading, and writing. And accountable I shall be, for it’s with a sense of 2015’s end that I can begin 2016 with a better sense of myself. Continue reading →

Blue Saturday: What fingernails have to do with Down syndrome and why it matters

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Blue-painted fingernails against a blue striped shirtThere are lots of things I’m good at, and there are possibly more things that I’m terrible at. But because I’m white, middle-class, able-bodied, and conventionally attractive, I have the privilege of not having people prejudge my success because of the way I look. The thing is, everyone deserves this; it shouldn’t be a privilege but a right.

That’s why my husband and I are sporting blue fingernails today. Blue nails are hard to ignore — such a bold hue makes the fingertips a focal point — but if you’re only seeing a small part of the fingers, you’ll likely miss what these hands can do.

The assumptions we make about perceived ability are often far more limiting than actual disability. That’s why we’ve painted our nails blue: to show Connor we believe in him — that he can and will do so much more if given the chance.

Today is World Down Syndrome Day, and you can show your support even if you can’t paint your nails blue. Read what Connor’s mom, Christie, has to say about the importance of Down syndrome awareness. I promise that’s a start.