A story about a special little girl with cerebral palsy who refuses to let her heartbreaking handicaps get to her.
Pretty bow lips. Soft, but thick, dark wavy hair that frames her thin face and tumbles past her shoulders. Ever-sparkling almond-shaped black eyes fringed with long lashes that miss very little. Little Hannah Ashley Chisholm could be a child featured in a magazine or in print-ads, but when people see her in real life, their faces suddenly turn serious, and sadness fills their eyes whenever they first see her.
For Hannah is a child who happens to be handicapped. She was born this way; she was born with brain damage and cerebral palsy affecting all four limbs and just about her entire body. She is in a wheelchair and has to be strapped into place because she has very little in the way of control: she can't sit up without help. She can't talk much, and she is seriously brain damaged; and there is talk that she may be mentally handicapped.
Hannah Ashley is the youngest child of Timothy and Michelle Chisholm; and she is their first daughter. She also happens to be adopted; she came to the Chisholms from the Phillipines when she was but a baby of nine months; and she has been with the Chisholms ever since. Besides Hannah, the Chisholms have three active boys of their own: Roy Rogers (5), Rusty Drake (6), and Dallas Weston (7). The boys are very fond of their little sister, and they are always clamoring or tumbling over one another, to see which one could help take care of her, much to their parents' amusement.
Hannah can't walk or talk or feed herself; and she can't go to the bathroom without help and isn't toilet-trained; but even with all her problems, she is still a very delightful child with a contagious little giggle, and she loves being the center of attention and just loves being around people, PERIOD. If she is stuck at home or is by herself she will cry until someone comes to her aid or until someone comes and takes her out of her wheelchair and holds her on their lap. She is a very happy child and only cries if she is sick or is bored or if she is left by herself.
There is no telling what Hannah may accomplish because of her disabilities; but she is still a rather bright little girl who knows more than what people think: she is very susceptible towards people's reactions towards her, and she knows that she is loved; and she knows how to give love back in return. She also knows that her family helps her, and that makes her feel loved and comfortable. She also knows who her family members are and will break out into excited giggles or a huge smile whenever she sees them approaching. She is rather wary of strangers, and she will cry until she is safe in her mother's or father's strong arms. She is presently enrolled in an "Early Intervention" program for disabled children, and she also goes to physical and occupational therapy every week, several times per week.
Hannah has had to struggle ever since she was born in the Phillipines; and when she was found to be handicapped, she was abandoned by her family and was put into an orphanage, where she resided until she was cleared to be adopted; and at the age of nine months, she was flown to America, where she was then adopted by the Chisholm family of Fort Worth, Texas.
People have mixed feelings whenever they see Hannah sitting in her hot pink wheelchair. They agree that she is a very beautiful little girl of three years of age, but they aren't sure as how to handle her obvious physical impairments. They look at her with a combination of revulsion and pity or even love and acceptance; but her parents and brothers don't pity Hannah: all they see is that she is their child, and all they can do is love her and accept her, disabilities and all. They think she is perfect, and they wouldn't have it any other way.
Want to review or comment on this short story?
Need a FREE Reader Membership?
Reviewed by Robert Blackwell
1/8/2004
As always, you do such a wonderful job with these stories; I enjoy reading them.
Timeless wisdom and advice on the art of living for today’s young and old: The art of thinking, the art of loving, the art of working, the art of leadership, the art of growing old.
A new translation by Sergio E. Serrano of this inspirationa
