Being Content

Today's gift is being content.

There is no one in my life who can truly teach me the meaning of being content like my daughter with special needs.  While I know there are many things she wishes she had like her siblings and peers, I also know she is content within her own body.

Every day she wakes up and still has Rett Syndrome, but she doesn't let this hold her back from conquering the day.  She has become comfortable within her own skin.  She knows until the researchers find a treatment or a cure for Rett Syndrome, she has to beat it herself....with one skill, one word, one step at a time.

When I am having a bad day or wishing for something more,  I just think about my daughter or look at a picture of her.  While she would love to be like a typical 11 year old,  she is very lucky to be able to do as much as she can for a girl who lives with Rett Syndrome.

She has so much to be thankful for...she does not have seizures, she does not have a feeding tube, she does not have scoliosis, she does not have breathing issues.

Her biggest strengths are her mobility and functional hand use, while her biggest weakness is her communication, which sometimes leads to frustrations (behaviors).  Yes she does have words she can communicate, but she does not have conversational speech where she can tell me what is bothering her or what she really wants to tell me.  If there is something she can not communicate to me either with her voice or iPad, she gets extremely frustrated and it will lead to a behavior.

My daughter is content with herself... it is almost like she has found peace within, which she shares with others.  My daughter is very confident with who she is, what she is doing and where she is going.  She does not have to explain herself to anyone.  While, I know she is probably not happy she has Rett Syndrome, she still approves of herself, all she has accomplished and all the opportunities yet to come.

Her inner peace has helped me reach out to others and talk about her journey with special needs.  Seeing her content and at peace, has made me become more content with myself.

Here are some quotes for today....

Be happy with what you have and are, be generous with both, and you won't have to hunt for happiness- William E. Gladstone

Happiness consists not in having much, but being content with little- Marguerite Gardiner

Contentment is not possessing everything but giving thanks for everything you possess- Author Unknown