Beauty In The Broken

Crux of the video for those who can't view it on your phone-

Owner: "[Elvis] is always busy [working].. He's a busy guy."

[Voice over]: "And yet, customers always abuse Elvis using the same cruel words in the experiment."

Host: "How does that make you feel?"

Elvis: "Sad. Mad. Angry."

Host: "Why do you think they do that?"

Elvis: "I don't know."

(Elvis works at the supermarket, is a "hard worker", an "amazing guy" and has special needs.)

This video hit me hard.

I've always had a soft spot for the elderly and disabled and I will never be able to comprehend why there are people in the world who are so heartless and unsympathetic towards these people.

Albeit a social experiment, this video manifests real life scenarios which takes place not only in grocery stores but everywhere. 

People with down syndrome hold a special place in my heart because they are just so special. But they are stereotyped to be different; ugly; deformed; useless; weird; stupid etc etc. 

They are different, yes - because they have 47 chromosomes, unlike us with 46.

They are ugly? Reflect upon yourselves to those who have judged them. These down syndrome people do not judge you even when you've already judged them. Who's the one ugly one now?

Deformed you say. The only thing deformed is the perspective that you have of them. 

Most down syndrome people I have met are no where near useless. They have the natural talents to draw, dance, create art, play sports and they do it better than regular people too.

They are not weird, neither are they stupid. They are created for a reason.

They are here to love us all regardless of how they are being treated.

To be honest, down syndrome people are the most beautiful people I have ever met.

This is my God-brother, Cavan.

I have known him since I was born and he's a couple of years older than me. He is a ball of energy, always filled with laughter and good spirit. He has a flare for dance, drawing(he had an exhibition once), and is picking up bowling as well. We have taken part in a few bowling competitions organised by the Down Syndrome Association (DSA) and I'm very proud to say that we have won the title in all the years that we've played as a team. 

Through him, I have learnt so much and how one can be so innocent yet so happy. I admire his determination and his abundance of love. How he calls me "Dear" when he sees me, kisses my brother on the head when we visit, being so warm to everyone even to people he has never met before. I don't think he's suffering from Down Syndrome, more like "Up" Syndrome, if I could rename it.

Why is it in the middle of my A Levels now that I decided to write about this? Because there isn't a better time to do so. 

All these studying is making me go crazy and I won't even go into detail about how unhappy I am about the education system. Yes I study hard, I get good grades, get into a University, find a high-paying job so that I can afford any and everything in future blah blah blah 

but

At the end of the day, I will never have lived as happy a life as my God-brother's.

I have had enough of people using Down Syndrome as a derogatory term on a normal person. 

"Downy"

"Retarded"

You think you are cool by using these terms but you are not. It is plain rude and disrespectful to a group of people who have never done you wrong. 

How would you feel if you had a close relative born differently from the majority and someone mocks her intellect or appearance? 

How would you feel if your child is the one suffering from all these bullying which (s)he can't deter from?

It doesn't apply only to people with Down Syndrome, but to every other person out there who are born special. 

I just wish there was more kindness in this world and for people to see the beauty in their flaws.