Today, as I drove down the street,
I stopped at a red light, waiting to turn left. I was just three blocks from the
freeway. I looked about and noticed a man waiting to cross the street. He was
pushing the signal button as rapidly as he could with his shoulder.
You see, this individual had some sort of
dwarfism. You know, the kinds where his arms and legs appear to be scrunched into shorter limbs, thereby giving a thicker look to the appendages. His shoulder
was actually just equal to the height of the button. My guess, I thought the
button was about three and a half feet from the ground. The thing that amazed
me was his behavior. He appeared to be extremely happy, as he wore earbuds
connected to his iPhone, carrying it in one hand while a book or package
occupied the other.
I wondered who he was speaking with; a
friend, an acquaintance, or perhaps a romance was playing out right before my
eyes? I found myself inquisitive as to the conversation; what was it about? Was it reservations, idle gossip, or personal matters? If it was the latter, I do
not believe it mattered that we, the observers, knew about it.
As the light changed and I drove off, I
reflected on the impact of height on one’s life. I know individuals who are
well over six feet tall and yet unsure of themselves, lacking confidence. I
know two beautiful girls who will never reach five feet tall, both of whom
exude confidence and are successful at every turn. These two have experienced
prejudice, snide remarks, and bias due to their height. I believe these
moments and the choices they made in how to handle them have made them stronger. These
are two individuals I am very close to; well, they are my granddaughters.
Anna has been small in every
physical respect since birth. She was tested, poked, and blood drawn to check
for any “abnormalities.” In the end, she is simply a small individual. A very
talented young lady who, from the beginning, has perfect pitch and can memorize
a song after hearing it once, maybe twice. As she learned to speak, her words were
never singular in usage or even coupled with other sounds. No grunts or
groans. Her first communications were in full sentences. Now as she has bad
eyes and wears glasses most of the time, the two together, the glasses and the
full sentences, surprised many a friendly stranger who would address her. With
a touch of baby talk, they would say something like, “You are so cute, aren’t
you?”
To which she would reply, “Why thank you,
how are you?” Many adults became speechless at the response.
Now Anastasia, she and her two sisters
have always reminded me of pixies or elves. From the first moment I saw them,
they have had cherub faces with kind, loving eyes. Stasia is full of fire, spit, and vinegar, some would say. This is not
an unkind characteristic, perhaps learned as self-defense, as she is the
youngest. Nonetheless, Stasia fights for everyone.
In High School, she participated on the
drill team and was even elected the Secretary in her senior year. They took the
state championship again. Now she volunteers at a private High School, helping
other girls learn to compete and, I’m sure, find confidence in themselves.
There is something about her that is
amazing; she invites you to be her friend and understands there is more to
this life than being tall. Stasia has grown; her full height about 4’ 10”, yet
her spirit and ability to love are 10 feet tall.
So, to all who judge, tease, or in any way make fun of individuals who maybe are not quite as tall as you are, remember,
the young man, happily full of life, Anna’s perfect pitch, and Anastasia’s perfect
love
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