I remember the care the people took to keep their homes clean. They had dirt floors; yet they were proud of their cleanliness. They always swept the dirt to clear any debris and to pack the earth inside and outside the home. How these gentle people cherish beauty. So very proud of a single flower in an otherwise barren yard.
On one trip, we made a house call. What I do remember of the trip was a young girl who appeared to have Downs’s syndrome. She was a plump. Her mother seemed ashamed about her condition and tried to hide her from view. The curious child would peak around the door. As I observed her, I thought of the artist Botero and his famous painting of the Mona Lisa. I told the shame-filled mother that her child reminded me of a famous work of art. I’ll always cherish the memory of the shift in the mother’s attitude. Such pride she now had in the beauty of her daughter.
Photo credit: janeyhenning / Foter / Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
