“Ewin…my sweet little sistew.”
Stupid. Retard. Dummy: Just a few words that most of our world thinks of people with a mental disability. I have been privileged enough to grow up with someone special who has given me the utmost compassion for those classified as disabled. Jesse Dodge Brooks was born 10 years before I was and although our age gap would normally leave room for drifting into different phases of life, Jesse and I never had that problem. Although he is 28 years-old, he is 7 years-old mentally because he has Downs syndrome. I was four, he was seven. I turned seven and he was still seven. Sixteen came along…still seven. I am now almost 19 years-old and my 28 year-old brother is still seven. Quite frankly, this is one thing that I would never trade with him. While academically he is limited, Jesse surprises me everyday with his sense of humor and witty comments. He is honestly the funniest kid I know! He teaches me more than anyone I have ever met, and yet he has no idea that he does it.
Life is simple. There are no complications. There is no reason to worry. Life is so good! All these are things that Jesse has taught me, again without even knowing it. Routine is key in his life, but it is the simple things that make him the most joyful. Tearing off a new day on his Elvis calendar, “wrestling” with Dad or “Pops” as he calls him, movie nights with the family, walks in the park, and of course Friday nights- pizza, root beer, and snickers. Could life get any better? He works every day at a sheltered workshop with adults with similar disabilities as him, and while the basic jobs he does often become redundant, he looks forward to his 90 cents an hour paycheck every other Friday. He has no concept of money. He doesn’t stress or worry about what is to come. He finds something to look forward to and works his heart out until he gets there.
Selfishness and worry fill me up. I become anxious over the littlest of things, and then I see my 5’0″ “little” brother’s smile while watching Season 3 of Full House for the 25th time, and a burden begins to lift. Why worry? Why stress? Jesse has no concept of the complexity and history of theology and he could never write a statement of faith. He couldn’t list the books of the Bible or quote scripture in times of need. And yet he has the most faith and hope of anyone I’ve met. He is the epitome of joy. When the going gets tough and when I feel like I can barley go on, it’s Jesus in my brother that brings me back to my knees, thanking the Lord for the blessings. God is good, all the time. Jesus, a good movie, and a king-size snickers…life is complete for Jesse Dodge.
I definitly forget at times to find joy in the little things of life. What an awesome reminder!
Powerful words…Jesse lives from a truly satisfied soul…one that many would blindly say is irrelevant and unnecessary, while those who know and love Jesse experience the blessings of simply having him in their lives.
Thanks sweetie!
Praise God for Jesse 🙂 what a good reminder to enjoy the simple things.
Jesse seems like such a sweet brother! People like Jesse who can enjoy the simple things in life are such blessings to those who have a problem with that (I am one of these people). Thanks so much for sharing his view of the world! It is a wonderful reminder that we should have a childlike faith with Christ, always trusting Him.
Sometimes I don’t want the little things, I want God to provide the big things for me. I think that finding joy in the little things means surrendering to the fact that God knows better than me and that he knows what I mean. God gave me this beautiful day to give me joy and that I won’t find joy in the big things if I can’t find joy in the small.
Your brother sound awesome.
Thanks, Erin for reminding me of the beauty of simple and child-like faith possessed by many who have disabilities. My daughter has disabilities as well and your article brought tears to my eyes. You are an awesome “big” little sister. God bless you.
In the big picture, God has His purposes and we cling to that. I have a picture that says, “Sometimes the best and brightest flowers start with a not so beautiful seed”.
Sometimes God uses unlikely or difficult circumstances to bring glory to Himself. May we open ourselves up to be used of God in this way, submitting to Him and trusting that He sees the bigger picture.