special me

Years ago a common prayer used at just about every high school retreat I went on as a student was about being special. That prayer took on a whole new meaning when my daughter was born with Down Sydnrome and its meaning changes yet again now that I am doing my damndest to support her right to be educated with her peers just like any other kid.

I'm special
I am unique
In the whole wide world there is nobody exactly like me
and I even have a twin.

We are unique
we are special
Mum says we are the most precious things in the whole wide world.
I bet your mum told you that too.

Now we go to school. I am less special
I am just another one. I am more special
so many things are "too hard" for me.
We are twins, we are both special
I wish school saw us that way too.

In the special classroom everyone belongs
We try and work alone,
We try and help each other
When we're really stuck
We go and ask the teacher.

There everyone is special, everyone belongs
I am good at listening. He is good at maths.
The teacher works so very hard
the focus remains on us.
What we learn is by the way
How we learn is everything.

I am very special, I am smart as smart can be
I am very special but learnings hard for me
We work alone, we work together
Our teacher lights our path
and we both know that we are unique
as special as anyone else can be.