special olympics

be a fan of unity

paul mitchell had a event where we were able to go and help out with the special olympics. that word right there says it all "special." the people we met were amazing and i instantly fell in love with each and every one of them. there has always been a special connection between me and people with special needs or disabilities and i will absolutely always have a special place for them in my heart. i think it all started in 7th grade. i rode the bus to school and on one of the stops we picked up maggie. maggie had down syndrome and was the happiest person i have ever met. she would get on the bus with her older brother but for some reason always wanted to sit my me. we would sit by each other on the way to school almost everyday and talk about all the little things that normal 13 year old girls talk about. she was so full of life and although she was a bit different, i never once felt like i had to treat her any differently then i did my other friends. after that year of riding the bus with maggie, she changed my whole outlook and views on people with disabilities and i took on a special interest for people with special needs and i have been able to make so many special friends because of that. in young womens for a year i was called to do the special needs mutual, 3 out of the 4 years of high school i was randomly put into the special needs seminary and now i babysit little morgan seal who has down syndrome. i dont know what i did to have been given the opportunities to work with these "special" people but i have been so blessed non the less. they have changed my life in more ways than one and i am a better person for having them come into my life. i hate when people are too quick to judge, it just means they are potentially over looking something or someone that might be total gem. i hope that everyone will one day understand that they are people- just like us and even though we are all different we should all be treated with the same respect and be given the same opportunities. i'm me. you're you. and they're them. i think the special olympics program is perfect example of that. everyone comes and is accepted for what they are and are able to participate in the races, games and activities. after being around them you soon realize that they're really not that differerent- you like the same sports teams, think the same boys are cute ( cough cough- zac efron), like the same movies, games, food, whatever it might be. its all about unity and acceptance and having a little more love and kindness towards others. i am so happy that i had yet another opportunity to be involved with special needs and hopefully they will continue to come my way because i love it. 

this friend of ours was having the byu football players sign a poster for him and then decided he needed a picture with the football players and the "cheerleaders" aka us. 

doing crazy hair on my little buddy

i think he was my favorite of the day- i was obsessed. 

be a fan of the special olympics and check out this website

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