Ah the joy

With our national IQ plummeting daily at an astonishing rate, I am lucky enough to get a break once a week from the insanity of the state of the union. I have a volunteer commitment with the Bay Area Women's Sports Initiative (BAWSI) to work on an after school sports program for girls in wheel chairs. We are the BAWSI Rollers. What a dose of joy and reality all in one hour and a half slot.

There have been between 9 and 11 kids the last two weeks. They get a t-shirt, a water bottle and a journal as part of the program. There are four components, with discussion about key sports concepts like respect and leadership. The kids are asked to wear their shirts to the program and to bring their journals and water bottles. We are playing baseball, basketball and bowling.

Some of the children are highly functional, some are not. To see these kids interact with each other is to see our humanity. They help each other with their tasks: filling their water bottles, setting the brakes on their wheel chairs, passing the ball to one another.

The pure delight on their faces when they accomplish something new is enough to make me cry. And remind me again of the joy of life.

Today we played baseball. The kids were cruising around the bases, scoring runs, hitting the ball, tagging each other out. When B. scored as we were all yelling for him, he had nothing but total bliss on his perfect little face.

One child, A., had gotten on the bus this morning to come to school. A. made the bus driver go back home because she needed her shirt and water bottle. Her mom happily recounted this story to us today.

One little guy, S., was up to bat when he noticed his father had come to get him. He pointed out his father to me then promptly walloped the ball and chugged along to first base. His dad ran over and gave him a high five. Pure joy, I tell you.

Now thanks to these children, I can no longer feel sorry for anything in my life. No job? Oh well. Feeling bad about myself, get over it.

Think you don't have much, give it away to a child. You'll get it back times a million.