What motivates us to act?

Sarah Palin rocked the house the other night at the Republican convention.  I’m sure there were many of us who were more than a little nervous for her, wondering how she would handle the pressure of coming into the national spotlight so quickly.  Personally, I loved her.  Have I ever actually laughed during a political speech before?  I don’t know if it’s the fact that she’s a mom with real issues or if it’s that she seems to really stand up for what she believes in.  Of course, I say that hesitantly when it comes to elections.  We never know what headlines we may be reading over the next couple of months.  Blatant lies seem to be the norm, and it makes us a very cynical nation when it comes to our politicians. 

But Sarah Palin, she seems real.  She’s spunky and sarcastic (and I do love me some good sarcasm).  And wasn’t I  just experiencing a small bit of glasses envy?  My hubby informed me that they are Italian and cost around $1,000, so they are off the table.  (Okay, update, of course by now we all know they are Japanese, and I’ve heard the frames run about $400 in and of themselves.  Still out of my eyewear budget!)

As usual, I was curious as to how others were reacting to her, so I went on the blogosphere to do a little reading.   One post stood out in particular - a mother of special needs children, and she was angry.  Really angry.  She condemned Palin for flaunting her special needs child and using him as, essentially, a tool to garner votes.  Her anger stemmed from the fact that Palin had only been a mother of a special needs child for 5 months, and when it came down to it, as a VP she wouldn’t have much time to parent little Trig.  How could Palin possibly understand the demands of parenting a special needs child?

I understood her reaction.  You never know what people will use to attempt to gain votes during an election year.  We’ve heard and seen it all. 

However, it made me think.  If it weren’t for God allowing people to experience challenges in life, what would ever motivate us to act? 

I’m not a big one for statistics, but I wonder…how many people who are advocates for breast cancer research are there because they or a loved one have experienced cancer?   How many people take an active interest in what children are learning until they have young ones in our schools? 

And how many people understand or fight for the rights of special needs men, women and children unless they have friends or family born with cerebral palsy, Downs, spina bifida or one of the other countless diseases or syndromes that affect so many around the world?

Isn’t it experience that motivates us, more often than not?

So, if Sarah Palin has a heart for special needs because of her beautiful young son, God bless her.  No, she may not fully understand, yet, what it means to be a mother to someone with Down’s, but it will be a journey.  Just as parenting a healthy child is a journey.  I don’t view someone with an infant any less a parent than a mother or father with an 18 year old.  Their experiences may vary.   Their love and concerns are equally strong. 

We should consider ourselves fortunate that she has an issue close to her heart that, perhaps, hasn’t been in the spotlight before.  She may be the advocate that the special needs community has been looking for.  Give her a chance.  Support her efforts.  She won’t need us to remind her of what she said.  She’ll have little Trig there, every day, encouraging her to advocate for his needs.  That will be motivation enough.