I dropped off my daughter Chiara to her kinder group this morning. It's not a "special" school that caters for children with additional needs. It's a mainstream environment where Chiara can experience life like any other toddler her age.
This morning as I carried her into the room, she was greeted with a group of kids running up to her with excitement. "Ki-Ki is here", "Hello Chiara", "Yaaaaay Chiara has arrived". As I placed Chiara into her chair, these kids were hugging her and she was laughing with joy.
I could see the beautiful exchange of human diversity, love and joy that expands past any physical or verbal limitations.
They shine a light through fear, ignorance or greed, and bring us all to a deeper level of the human condition and the essence of compassion and love.
I see a group of young children who, by the mere experience of sharing time with a child with neuro diverse needs, are brought gifts and insight that stretch far beyond any negative connotation.
I see a room full of children who connect with Chiara. There are no concerns that Chiara cannot sit, walk, or talk. There are no concerns that their needs are not being met. There is no hierarchy between who should receive more education than the other.
I see a room full of educators that include every child and provide each of them with the love, guidance and care they deserve. I see a room full of acceptance and understanding.
You won't hear comments like Pauline Hanson's: "We need to get rid of those people because you want everyone to feel good about themselves" in these parts.
In fact you won't hear any of this BS in the special needs world because, Hanson, this community doesn't need to exclude others in order to feel good.
That's the thing about living an authentic human life.
If there is one thing that I have learnt as a mother to a child with additional needs it is this: communities, families, friends and the world at large are far better off where there is inclusion and shared experiences of all people, whether asylum seekers, aboriginal culture or neuro diverse.
They shine a light through fear, ignorance and greed, and bring us all to a deeper level of the human condition and the essence of compassion and love.
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