The Angel And The Sage
The Angel And The Sage [a parable about being the parent of a child with Down syndrome]
An Angel tumbled from heaven and struck the ground with such force that she broke her wings. Fortunately, she fell near the cottage of a Sage, who found her and took her home with him. He put her in his bed, tended her wounds, and cared for her until she awoke one day.
“Thank you for your taking care of me Sage,” exclaimed the Angel, “Soon my wings will heal, and I’ll be able to fly back to Heaven where I belong.”
This made the Sage very sad, because he could clearly see that her wings were forever broken and could never, ever heal. However, because he was a sage, he was also wise enough to know that he could never tell her this: for if she lost her hope of returning to Heaven, she would surely perish from sorrow. But he also could not lie to an angel, as she would surely know. So he thought very carefully before he spoke.
“Angel,” he said, “It may be that one day you will fly back to Heaven. But until then you will have to learn to live like a normal person. You shall have to learn to walk, speak, learn, work, and play like the rest of us, so that you can be happy until that day comes.”
The Angel agreed to learn to do these things, and he taught them to her. In time she became a special and loving woman, adored by everyone in the Sage’s community for her good cheer and compassion, and was happy even though her wings never healed.
Then one day to the Sage’s surprise the Angel unfolded her broken wings and flew away, leaving him to wonder: who was really teaching whom?
[Your child is already the Angel. Are you wise enough to be the Sage?]
An Angel tumbled from heaven and struck the ground with such force that she broke her wings. Fortunately, she fell near the cottage of a Sage, who found her and took her home with him. He put her in his bed, tended her wounds, and cared for her until she awoke one day.
“Thank you for your taking care of me Sage,” exclaimed the Angel, “Soon my wings will heal, and I’ll be able to fly back to Heaven where I belong.”
This made the Sage very sad, because he could clearly see that her wings were forever broken and could never, ever heal. However, because he was a sage, he was also wise enough to know that he could never tell her this: for if she lost her hope of returning to Heaven, she would surely perish from sorrow. But he also could not lie to an angel, as she would surely know. So he thought very carefully before he spoke.
“Angel,” he said, “It may be that one day you will fly back to Heaven. But until then you will have to learn to live like a normal person. You shall have to learn to walk, speak, learn, work, and play like the rest of us, so that you can be happy until that day comes.”
The Angel agreed to learn to do these things, and he taught them to her. In time she became a special and loving woman, adored by everyone in the Sage’s community for her good cheer and compassion, and was happy even though her wings never healed.
Then one day to the Sage’s surprise the Angel unfolded her broken wings and flew away, leaving him to wonder: who was really teaching whom?
[Your child is already the Angel. Are you wise enough to be the Sage?]
posted by Jason Walters | 5:18 PM
3 Comments:
This parable is better if you don't explain it.
Look at you, all that scuffy face,gruff and grouchy exterior, and you're really just a big softy. With a big heart. =)
Moe
"Normal Person"? Normal is in the eyes of the beholder. We're all normal. Enough.
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