Wednesday, February 07, 2007

I Don't Know What To Think

This video has really made me think. The significance of what the actor/director/producer says is almost overwhelming to me. I'm dumbfounded. Speechless. It doesn't make sense, yet it does. I almost want to find out that it's a hoax. Because that would certainly make life easier.

Watch this video all the way through (even if you think it's boring or strange to begin with), because there's two parts. The second part relates to the first, and I believe it will blow you away.

I really want to know what y'all think about this. Including you, Chief. Of course, Jeni, you MUST respond. My perspective on mentally challanged people has been really altered.

And considering the fact that I have a mentally challenged child (who presents with a lot of these same characteristics), I have a lot to think about.

All because of this video.


8 comments:

Bee said...

This is a very moving video and it confirms what I suspect many of us have known all along, that there are different ways of interacting with the world. I guess for you it confirms that when Micheala collects stuff together and puts it in piles, she is making art or learning just like you were telling us in previous posts! Awesome video. K

jes said...

incredible short documentary. it amazes me the ignorance i had as a child dealing with disabilities such as this. babysitting ruth with diabetes for many years opened my eyes a lil, but welcoming michaela into my life has been a blessing beyond belief. she is beautiful in so many ways that people who don't know her or who aren't willing to know her just can't see. ryan's son has asperger's syndrome and i haven't had a chance to meet him yet, but i truly believe that i will be better able to love him (if he'll let me) because of michaela being in my life. ~jes

AlabamaBrands said...

WOOW.

That was amazing.
The technology that this guy can use is so awesome. Communicating in a way we can understand, letting us know how elementary we are in our thinking.
Good post.

Dana said...

I can promise you that this is not a hoax!!! So many of these kids have so much to say, the trick is HOW DO WE HELP THEM GET IT OUT. We work everyday trying to find a way. Michaela is fortunate that she has the good days when she can tell you most things. Right now she can tell you A WHOLE LOT!!! Yeah for her!!! The girl in the video is truly amazing. Wouldn't it be great to witness her communication in person? --And how did she learn to use that computer so effectively?? Things that make you go HUM....

Great story...

JSmith5780 said...

Wow, after all our emails today I wasn't sure what to expect. As I said, I have always felt that autisitic people learn as we do, they just can't communicate their thoughts back to us 'normal' people.

This reminds me of the story I read just today on my IS support group. (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/26/60minutes/main2401846.shtml) I apologize I don't know how to put a link in here. Anyway, did you hear about the man that just recently recited 22000+ places of pi? Well the link is the story about this man. He had a severe seizure (disorder?) at age four and was diagnosed with Asperger's. Despite that he was able to overcome and is essentially a genius. He says that he doesn't see the numbers as numbers, but as shapes, essentially creating a landscape of images. He is proof that people with autism and aspergers are learning, but they are learning differently.

As I said, don't treat Michaela any differently then the others. Read to her and teach her. And not just simple stuff. Teach her history and science and thegreat works of literatures. Don't be worried that she doesn't appear to be paying attention. The info is getting through and one day she just might spout it all back.

Thanks for sharing this, it was great to view and should provide hope to many families of autistic people. I hope someday Micahela amazes you just the same.
Jen

Danielle said...

I found this really hard to watch too...I don't know why, really. Because if it IS true, it is painful. And if it is NOT true, well that hurts too. Interesting none the less

Anonymous said...

When Twinks was a baby, we would talk to her like she was... a human being. People would laugh at us, and tell us that there was no way she could understand us; she was "just a baby".

We didn't care. We persisted in treating her like she was "real".

This video shows quite clearly that there are people in our world who we treat as "not present", when they actually are. Acutely present, as it turns out.

Micheala, like the author of the video, just uses a different way to communicate with the world. It isn't necessarily worse or better - just different.

She's there. She just has a different agenda than the rest of us.

But you already knew that.

:::hugs:::

Thim :)

Unknown said...

That's a pretty profound video.

I've seen first hand how some people are treated as things, not human, considered unteachable, but in the end, they actually taught me a few things.

Michaela's mind is probably taking in way more than people think, and one of these days, she just may surprise you! You're doing a great job!