Thinking Out Loud, Volume CCCXLVII

It's interesting to watch. On the second weekend in October, a group of men and women from practically every section of our country converge on Los Angeles for our company's annual sales meeting. Practically every one of us arrive on Thursday, but since our flights are spread throughout the day, it's later on in the evening, at Happy Hour, when we all gather into one spot as a group. At first there are a lot of handshakes and "great to see you's," and then the big group begins to break up into smaller groups, and that's where it starts to get interesting....just to observe the makeup of each of the smaller groups. Each person will eventually end up joining the group with whom he/she feels most comfortable, and upon closer observation, you will notice that each group is made up of people who are basically from the same region of the country. My group will normally include representatives from Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, and the Carolinas....in other words, a group of southerners. Of course, no one is banned from any of these clubs, but it's just human nature to gravitate toward the people with whom we feel that special camaraderie. It's like a brotherhood. If we were to organize a gathering of men, with no two of them knowing any other person there, and this group was made up of hunters, fishermen, golfers, runners and cyclists, within a matter of minutes, each of these sub-groups would have sniffed each other out and divided up accordingly. It's like we feel a special kinship with other individuals who share our values and interests. As a runner, when I'm out on my early morning runs, I may or may not wave at vehicles as they pass, and when I do, it's usually a "Thank You" wave to the ones who give me a wide berth as come by. But if I see another runner out on the street, you can bet I'll be saying "Good Morning." It's that brotherhood....that common bond. With that said, I can report that I now find myself a part of another group, or club, one that I never in my life dreamed that I would be joining....and that's the group of people who have a loved one with Down Syndrome. That fact occurred to me a couple days ago when I was planning my fall schedule for work. I have one client who has a thirty-one year old son, named Joey, who works with her in the store, and Joey has Down Syndrome. Every time I visit that store, I find myself looking around for Joey, and making sure I go speak to him while I'm there. Just three years ago, before I had a granddaughter with DS, I was not that way at all, but I can honestly say that, although she doesn't know it, that little girl has changed me. She has made a new man out of me. When I see someone, child or adult, with DS, I now feel that special kinship with him/her and his/her family It's like a special brotherhood. Preston