A child without any handicaps writes about one of her friends who IS handicapped, and why they are good friends. (It is NOT Nicole, by the way; Nicole is disabled.)
America Freedom Powell is my name, and I am fairly new here at my school; but I already have made a friend. I would like to tell you about her.
My name is America, as I just said; and I am nine years old. I moved here to Nashville from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, about a month ago; and I am still getting used to the area and to the people here. It is hard, but as I said, I have already made my first friend here. I met her only last week, and we have since become fast friends (well, her, HER friend, and myself, anyway).
My friend's name is Ronee' Le-Anne Reaux, and she is ten (but looks six; she is rather small for her age). She is really pretty with short, shoulder-length black hair that is thick and wavy (I'd LOVE to have her hair; my hair is thin and hard to manage!), and she has the biggest, blackest eyes with the longest lashes I have ever seen on a person! She has dimples when she smiles, and she is really cute! She also has dark skin; she looks like she may be Spanish or something. She loves to wear bright colors, and she loves to sing (and BOY, you ought to hear her; she is GOOD!). She is a very happy child, and she laughs often.
Ronee' also happens to be handicapped, but she hardly ever feels sorry for herself. If anything, it just makes her more determined to have people accept her, not for what she is on the outside, but what is on the inside; and she is always getting mad at people because they treat her wrong, or else they try to take advantage of her. Ronee' walks with crutches that attach to her elbows and wears leg braces on her legs (and sometimes uses a wheelchair) because she has arthritis. (Her crutches are BRIGHT pink.) Now, I didn't know a kid could get arthritis until I met Nicole Aldape and Ronee' Reaux (both have it), but they can. They have the pain and the aches, too, just like older people who have it; and at times, their pain is so bad it makes them sick; and they sometimes end up in the hospital. They look okay, but their fingers are knobby-looking, and their knees are swollen and look like baseballs, especially when their arthritis is acting up. Other than that, you really can't tell they have arthritis, but they do. And they have to take nasty-tasting pills several times a day to help with the pain, and sometimes they have to have therapy done at the hospital if their pain is really bad.
Ronee' has a big family; but I haven't met them yet. (Remember, I just moved here almost a month ago from Wisconsin.) Anyway, Ronee' has told me that she is adopted, and so are her brothers and sisters. She said she was adopted when she was a little baby because her real parents couldn't take care of her. But she is still happy, and she loves the family she has now. I guess, as long as she is happy, that is all that matters. I just couldn't imagine what it must be like to be adopted, but I guess it isn't all bad if you are raised by a family who loves you!
Ronee' loves country music (I do, too; I love Randy Travis and Garth Brooks!), but she loves Loretta Lynn. (I didn't know she was still alive or singing, but Ronee' told me she is; in fact, she and her family had just seen her in concert in Texas only a few weeks ago, she said.) She also told me she wants to be a country singer herself, and when I asked her to sing, I couldn't believe it! She sounded like a singing star; she had a beautiful voice!
Ronee' also happens to be a Christian. She accepted Jesus Christ when she was seven, and I think that is another reason why I already like her. I am a Christian too! (Only I accepted Jesus Christ last year around Christmas. Not this past Christmas, but the Christmas before that. It will be two years this Christmas. Thought I would straighten that out!) Her faith in Jesus is very strong, and she has already invited me to come to her church. I would like to go, but I will have to ask my parents first, and I would have to have them meet her before they make that decision. I've already told mom and dad about Ronee', and they are looking forward to meeting her.
I am looking forward to meeting her family, too! :) Sounds like she has an interesting one!
very well written, descriptive write...i love it! another character to learn...how do you keep 'em all straight?? :) you go, girl...keep the stories coming! :) (((((HUGS))))) and love, karla. :)
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