On p. 260, Beck recounts a story in which a psychic tells her that Adam is an angel. How do you relate to this information, and what do you make of it?

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Jennifer Graf Groneberg

Ack! The dreaded angels question!

I don't believe in angels in the way the psychic does (mystical beings that can take on human form if they desire).

I believe Adam is a human being. (As is Thomas.)

I believe some human beings have different purposes in life than the rest of us.

I have more to say, but it's unabashedly religious, so readers who may be turned off by that should skip this next part:

I'm Mormon, and part of Mormon doctrine is that we all lived as spirits before our lives on earth began. Many of us are here to be tested--to learn from our own experience the good from the evil, and to show through our choices which we prefer. But many more of us--such as those who die at a young age, and those who, for whatever reason, cannot be held fully accountable for their choices--didn't need to pass through that testing process. They come to gain a physical body (that they'll receive again in the resurrection) and to bless and teach others.

I think Thomas may be one of these souls. There is something different about him, for sure. He's not perfect, he's not superhuman. But I think his mission on earth is somewhat different than mine. I think he's ahead of me, spiritually. I think the same is true for Adam.

I believe angels are beings who either have been mortal (and are now resurrected) or will be mortal (i.e. they haven't been born on earth yet, so they only have spirit bodies). They visit earth from time to time as messengers from God.

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Kathryn Lynard Soper
Mother of Thomas (DS) 10/2005
Sam - 2003
Matt - 2001
Christine - 1999
Andrew - 1997
Ben - 1994
Elizabeth - 1993

Author of The Year My Son and I Were Born: A Story of Down Syndrome, Motherhood, and Self-Discovery



Editor of GIFTS and GIFTS 2

It's difficult to answer a question about angels _without_ talking about faith! Thank you for sharing yours, Kathy.

What I found interesting about this scene was that MB was very specific; not all children with DS were angels, only Adam.

I tend to go the other way--I think that all children, all people even, have an angel-quality within them. Just that in some, it's maybe more fully realized than in others.

I don't know why I think this. I was raised Presbyterian and my faith doesn't speak much about angels, that I am aware of.

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Jennifer Graf Groneberg

Yes--I agree. Here's more mormon doctrine for you: We're all literal children of god. God (the father) and God (his wife) created our spirit bodies. We're all destined to grow up to be like them. All of us are divine. But when we come to earth that divinity is veiled to some extent. It shines brightly in children, but as we get older it tends to get hidden under layers of mortal "stuff"--pride and fear, etc. (That clay shell I've mentioned elsewhere.)

Some people, though, continue to shine brightly. They don't get caught in the muck of the world so much as the rest of us.

This is actually the pov that Martha seems to despise. She references a similar thought, "Oh yes, all our retarded brothers and sisters are angels!" with no small degree of scorn. She trusts the psychic (to some degree at least) because the psychic says Adam's diagnosis has nothing to do with his specialness.

But I believe there's a connection between the two. Not that DS makes someone "special." Just that there's something about this state of being that allows goodness to shine through (the same goodness that each of us have), without so much muck getting in the way.

I've been thinking about this alot, because I know I'm going to have to address it in my book. People tend to categorize children with DS as greater-than (angels!) or less-than (idiots). Neither one is fair. Yet dang it all, T is different somehow, that is clear. He's been a catalyst for so much change in me. How, then, to write about it?

My answer is that T is just more truly himself than I am. My capacity for love, warmth, openness, is just as great--but much of it is in hiding. T shows me who I truly am, who we all truly are. Under all the layers of crap, we all shine just as brightly as he does.

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Kathryn Lynard Soper
Mother of Thomas (DS) 10/2005
Sam - 2003
Matt - 2001
Christine - 1999
Andrew - 1997
Ben - 1994
Elizabeth - 1993

Author of The Year My Son and I Were Born: A Story of Down Syndrome, Motherhood, and Self-Discovery



Editor of GIFTS and GIFTS 2

I enjoyed both of your views! Thanks for sharing.

I was raised Catholic. Angels, well, we were taught are God's helpers. I think that is what I remember from school. But to me? I always think of guardian angels. I think maybe the angel reference could be as a guide. I know Maeve is surely guiding me through life right now. And her goodness and spirit and capacity to love will hopefully continue to guide me.

It seems that Adam definitely led his family into new directions, ones for the better.

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GinnyM - 34
SeanM - 37
Maeve - 25 August 2006


Maeve's CaringBridge site: www.caringbridge.org/visit/maevemannion

Maeve's First Giving site:
www.firstgiving.com/maevemannion


www.got47.blogspot.com

www.ginnymcrafts.blogspot.com








"I can do all things through him that strengthens me" - Phillipians 4:13

I don't think that Adam or any of our children, in essence, are angels. But I agree with Kathryn about the crap aspect. We all have so much in us that hinders work of the divine; unconditional love, true respect, grace towards one another to name a few. Though my experience is small in the world of Ds, those I have met with Down syndrome (generally speaking) are uninhibited in how they feel, think and love. There is much to be learned there, in my opinion. Since it is so foreign to us in our typical carnality and attempts at purity, we decide that they must be angelic. Maybe it helps us feel better b/c we fall so way short in these areas? IDK. Thank God for others' examples.

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Gillian
wife to Sergei and mom to Elaina (, Zoya (6) and Polina (2 1/2 DS)
http://lintofpocket.wordpress.com/