Think about what you say, it could be hurting more people than you think.

So, you're joking around with your friend.  You say a few words, like retard or stupid.  Harmless.  No one could possibly be harmed by saying a few words.  WRONG.  I want you to think about what you say.  Those words have a deep meaning to a huge group in our community, in our world, and it transcends the world. 

  Look into my son's eyes.  Call him a retard.  Tell me how that makes you feel.  Why do I ask you to do this?  Because full grown adults have done it.  And you know what?  It makes me feel an unbelievable sadness that I cannot even begin to describe. 

When you are confronted with something you do not understand, you are tempted to call it a name, or label it.  Well here's a piece of advice I learned from a reading that I did in one of my classes for school: Stop labeling people.  Label Jars, not People!! 

The world is so full of beauty and that beauty consists of people who are not like the 'normal' that we assign to everything. 

So, the next time you start saying the word retard and stupid, really think about what you're saying.  My son gets called that all the time because people do not understand how to deal with him.  And you know what, that's their loss, because they are missing out of the beauty he has given this world and to me and my family every day.