I never knew what it was like to experience discrimination until I married my husband. Let me rephrase that ~ I never knew how insensitive people could be in their off-handed or not-meant-to-be saracastic remarks to someone who has a disability. My husband's disability isn't all that evident to most people. He has all his body parts and his brain works pretty well. He does have a problem with speech. To be more specific, with stuttering. He said when he was younger it was pretty bad but he has learned how to control it. I hardly notice.
It flairs up when he is meeting someone and asked his name. There is a pause on his part because he's trying to get his tongue around the answer and then his name comes out. It is what it is. But wow, do my hackles go up when I hear people's comments on how long it takes him to answer. "Ha, ha, did you forget your name?" or "Cat got your tongue?" or "Trying to decide which name you want to use?" They really don't mean anything by it, and I'm sure my husband is used to it by now, but my hackles go up like a mother bear.
I never say anything to the offender, especially in front of my husband, but I am thinking of pulling them aside and politely telling them, "He stutters. Please be mindful of what you say to people." But I let the emotion pass by. Maybe I shouldn't.
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. (Proverbs 25:11)
And then again, my husband has learned how to handle their remarks, maybe I should, too. There's that grace thing again.
1 comment:
I think people in general are impatient and want an answer, or anything else, instantly. I would like to think that after their comment, they realize it was spoken in haste and regret it... even if an apology isn't given.
Rich is such a sweetheart that I'm sure he has become quite proficient at practicing grace over the years. Thanks for sharing because it helps us all to learn from anothers mistake.
Peppermint
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