Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Palin Autographs Young Woman's Prosthetic Leg

Yet another heartwarming story from Creative Minority Report (those Archbold boys are going to have to start supplying me with tissue):
... I thought she'd hurriedly sign one ankle, but she signed "Sarah" on one side, then flipped it around and signed "Palin" on the other. It was all I could do to keep from turning into a weepy, snotty mess--and I would have if I'd looked to either side and realized Mom and one of my sisters were crying. She gave me a hug. I stepped back into my leg, and she kind of leaned over the barricade thing to check it out, and said I looked beautiful and was inspiring. I just barely managed, "So are you!" before I started crying, and she said, "Thank you!" and then hugged Mom, too.

When I shared the story with some lefty friends, I said I couldn't explain why I see a totally different person than a lot of them see when they look at Gov. Palin, and I didn't particularly care to try as I didn't want to argue. What I see is someone who radiates love and compassion, someone who reminds me of my mother and other wonderful women in my life, someone who makes me want to do great things. What I wish I'd been able to say to her is that the major reason I consider her a hero is the way she stands in stark contrast to the false compassion of our day, in which otherwise good people believe love means trying to eliminate suffering by doling out death like it's the ultimate gift. Modern humanitarians think, "I wouldn't want to live like that," and they never have a chance to see that (as Gov. Palin said in her RNC speech) with a special challenge comes a special joy. Even when we can't see those special joys right away, our faith lets us trust we will see suffering turned right-side-out someday. I would still be here if my parents had known about my leg before I was born, because my mother is a lot like Sarah Palin, and they both have a heart like Our Lady: wise and brave; one that "ponders all these things," when "all these things" includes the promise "a sword shall pierce your own heart, too." But thousands of babies with my condition and others--cleft palate, club foot, Down syndrome, etc.--never had the chance to live...


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There are photos and a video posted at CMR of this young woman meeting Gov. Palin.

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1 Comments:

At 10/15/2008 5:47 AM, Blogger matthew archbold said...

After this month, I think all that's left in my 401K is tissue so you're welcome to it. Thanks.

 

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