State of the Planet.

1.

I wanted this poem to receive response similarly fashioned but the
Style is not my forte, makes me second guess and question my
work. No matter. For how does one grow without effort infused
Into the goal desired? He, or she, does not and will not. So,

Concerning the State of the Planet. Robert Hass has presented
A poetic work featuring questions and ponderings of the
Planet earth, academic undertones pressing throughout the
Artistic expression. Unafraid to acknowledge he
Asserts that, "Poetry should be able to comprehend the earth."

2.

This poetry dances with truths often unconsidered about
The deep, the pure, the humanly unknowable
Complexity of the earth. Overwhelmed would be
The minds of men if understanding of this were conceivable.

As scholarly as scientific Hass leaves me puzzled and stirs
My curiosity. Licks: revealing messages on stones.
Honeycombs with mouths: what an analogy. Electricity having sex: what an analogy.
Combining mind forces he challenges the reader into
Depth, question, thought, expansion, reality, creation.

3.

Three now and 3 in the poetry on the table. At first
Read: confusion. But I now witness Hass responding in kind to
Lucretius's penetrating poetic discussion of philosophy, nature,
Origin. Illuminated mice offer simply one specimen
Of planet stewardship since the Roman breathed and
Breathed his last.

Mystifying the unenlightened the honeycomb with mouths once
Again perplexes. Now, though, it appears that number
Five searches for remainders of evolutionary history. I
Cannot agree, though research finds Devonian times marked
The leg evolution per aquatic sources. Nonetheless, Hass
Leaves mystery unsolved lest "a honeycomb with mouths"
Connotes nothing more than its letters represent.

4.

Poetry, leeway granted, abandons "sobriety" in hopes
Of stretching creation limited by proper thoughts
Into colorful images tinted with simile, metaphor, expression.
Why can not a science lesson inform through
Means as varied as its subjects?

Why can not a man's inner thinkings concerning this fading
Earth join academia and art? They can, they do--they will.
Lucretius and Hass and unnamed souls. Fitted for its occasion the State 
Of the Planet entertains its subject; asking, unwavering, searching;
Acquiescing to wonder.

From Text to Reality

It was informative and helpful to look at mental handicaps from three different perspectives: the play The Boys Next Door, the essay by Dr. Fettke, and the visit to the Alliance for Independence. All three definitely supplemented each other.

I think the biggest way that reading the play prepared me for visiting AFI was getting me in the mindset of thinking about these mentally disabled people. Although my brother has disabilities, it does not fully prepare me for dealing with other people who have similar limitations. I have become so used to him as an individual that I often don't consciously recognize his handicap--it's just him. So reading the play and the essay got me thinking about this. I was able to go into the trip to AFI with a mindset of loving and appreciating these people  for who they are. Thinking this way was especially influenced by Dr. Fettke's discussion on the imago dei and realizing value and worth in all humans simply for the fact that we are God's prized creation.

The Boys Next Door reminded me how capable some mentally challenged people, many the ability to have jobs in the community like the characters Arnold and Norman do. This awesome reality is the first thing I noticed that visiting AFI informed me about the play. I wish I could remember his name, but at AFI I met the guy who works at the Lakeland Center helping with food prep for events. He told me he's going to be a chef. He has a job and aspirations just like almost everybody else does. He seemed like one of the more capable and developed clients at AFI, and I was not surprised at his success. He's probably a fun person to work with, too.

Something that tends to be characteristic about mentally challenged people is repetition. I know many handicapped people need to repeat things many times to learn them, whether in school, work, chores, etc. They also repeat conversations. One guy at AFI told us a few times about his girlfriend of six months, each time as genuinely as the first. And each time she grinned shyly and happily as if he'd never told us before. It's cute because I don't think they actually forgot we already knew. However, it was still important and didn't matter if it'd been said.

The whole idea of relationships among the mentally handicapped is something I don't know much about.  Reading the play "prepared" me for this possibility, and it was really cool to see couples at AFI. I love it because it helps us see that their basic desires and dreams are the same as ours. Going back to reading the play after meeting those couples at AFI gave me a personal reference and helped me better picture how the budding relationship between Sheila and Norman might really look.

One other thing I wanted to mention is the serious issue of government funding. We read about it in the play when Lucien prepares for and stands before the senate, but I didn't realize all the implications of that at the time. At AFI we talked a good amount about funding and cuts, and it puts things in perspective when you learn that funding covers only $27 of the about $70 it takes to run the alliance per client each day, and that will soon probably be lowered to around $21. It's sad because this means less services can be provided when less money is coming through. Although Lucien's fictional case allowed him the opportunity to protest, but the clients at AFI can't control how much the state of Florida grants them.

And on a final note . . . I enjoyed the opportunity to meet and interact with people having different disabilities because it is so important that we (especially as Christians) care for those who society often overlooks. It's part of life, however frustrating or complicated it may be at times. I'm thankful for the reminder of how valuable each life is to God.

The Handicapped and the Church Community.

I am in full agreement with Steven Fettke that the church body needs to do more to accept and minister to people with physical and/or mental handicaps. The questions he asks are hard ones; but, as we have read, asking hard questions is good. It helps us face difficult situations and find answers and ways to get through them. Living with a disabled person is one of those trying situations, and I think it's normal to wrestle with "why" questions since disabilities can complicate things.

I truly appreciated Fettke's definition of normal "as simply being created in God's image." That is comforting, beautiful, and so very true. God, the only Being that is unchanging, is the Creator of such varied and different people. So how is it that we try to determine normality based on our incredibly varied selves? Yes, normal helps us create thought pathways and categorize aspects of humanity. But as I think about normalcy right now from a Biblical perspective, I feel confident that God is not concerned with normal. He is all for the last becoming first and the weak being the strong. Our human ideas of "normal" do not really mean being normal is better in God's eyes.

I liked Fettke's discussion of pneumatology, the doctrine of the Holy Spirit (yes . . . I did look that up to clarify things!), and his use of related Scripture. God is the author, creator, and giver of life--all life. And all human beings are created with souls and the inner capacity to know God. They are just as able to be filled with and share His spirit and love. I see the relationship between mentally disabled people and God as raw and simple.

To best explain this I want to tell you about my little brother. He has down syndrome and so is quite mentally handicapped, and he is probably the least judgmental person I have known. Though most people see him as disabled (myself included), he has this beautiful gift of acceptance that I don't think I will ever come close to. Maybe it's because he can't think as critically. Maybe it's because he doesn't understand many things. But I have seen him love, hug, smile, wave to, laugh with, and comfort all kinds of people. Young or old, clean or dirty. He doesn't base anything on how people look, talk, act, or think. It brings happy tears to my eyes. When I see him interacting like this, I see the Spirit of Christ. IQ doesn't limit God. Physical ability doesn't slow Him down. There truly is nothing powerful enough to separate us from Christ's love or His working through us.

The Boys Next Door [2]: Reality.

1. It is almost freeing to try to comprehend the significance mentally handicapped people assign to different things. Lucien wears his Spiderman tie because, to him, it shows that he means business. While many people probably view this as childish (which maybe it is), Lucien knows Spiderman was successful and serious and did what he needed to do. There is a very real connection and meaning there for Lucien.

2. We associate various things because of the connections we have in our brains between words, meaning, actions, situations, people, and so much more. Slower people may have the capacity for fewer connections, so it is cute when Lucien reminds Norman, "We got no trees," because he heard him say the word "tree." This brought him back to the conversation in Act I when he kept repeating that line.

3. As portrayed in this book (though the degree varies widely), mentally handicapped people often have an interest or hobby which defines much of their conversations and even sometimes their lives. Norman has keys and likes doughnuts and says, "Oh boy!" frequently. Barry is all about golfing. Arnold wants to move to Russia and likes emphasizing his statements ("I repeat . . ."). Lucien takes pride in singing the alphabet song and using his full name. Shelia loves flowers.

4. Caring for people with different mental capabilities than yourself is hard. It is a calling. This play shows how true this is by bringing Jack through the tough decision of taking another more "glamorous" job. He does not care any less for any of these people; however, he needs a break, a change.

5. Working with the mentally handicapped can be very rewarding. It can show you the beauty of the simple things in life. It can change you. Jack is emotionally touched many times by the simple yet overwhelmingly kind things they do for him. Living alongside these people helps you appreciate other people's personalities, styles, affections, and gestures because they are so different from your own or pre-set ideas or expectations of how people act. It brings you to a simple reality of life. Who we are is not defined by our favorite phrases or foods or by our "crazy" ideas or habits. Ultimately God fills us with meaning in giving us human, living, breathing life.

The Boys Next Door.

It was interesting reading a play this time and changing up the style of literature. It made me think of the days in high school when I worked on stage crew for a school play. So much goes into bringing literature (in these cases a well-written play) to life. Costumes, props, stage set-up, scenery, backgrounds, voice inflection, makeup, musical effects, and more influence the portrayal of the words in a play. All these things add to the audience's experience of the script.

Reading the italicized notes within The Boys Next Door is one of my favorite parts. It helps me imagine the setting. It helps me picture the characters' outfits, expressions, gestures, personalities, and interactions. 

"In the tub! In the tub! In the tub!"

This part (page 9) made me laugh. The childlike scheming fails as Jack, the father figure, walks in. The guys (Arnold and Lucien) are so proud of their plan, yet the reader (or audience) knows it will never work. Their following improvisation of hiding boxes under their shirts is not just hilarious; it also shows their innocence. They don't have involved, manipulative plans. They probably aren't even capable of pulling off a big lie. But that is just what I am starting to like about these characters. 

"ARNOLD. Shut the door! No! No, wait. We need a plan. We need an airtight plan. Rats are sneaky. That's why everybody says, "You sneaky rat." We can't waste any time. Norman, shut off the lights. First thing, we'll blind him. Go on, shut 'em off! (Norman shuts off the lights. The flashlights still glow.) Now, Lucien, count to three, then shut the door. Very easy. Don't let him know where you are."

This is another scene that was both humorous yet significant. My first response here was that I think I'd really enjoy seeing this play in person. Then I started thinking about the characters. With an understanding the capacities of the mentally retarded, this is an honest portrayal of how they think. It makes me smile. This was a situation they could handle in their own way. They didn't have to call Jack. They didn't run away and weren't scared by the animal. From spotting the rat to flushing it down the toilet, they took control and did what they needed to do.

Barry.

Barry is a classic example of a mentally handicapped person thinking he is a pro. His thing is golf, and he knows all about it. He doesn't actually play very much, but he wants to teach people how to play and appreciate the finer side of golf--not just hitting the ball. He charges for his lessons, though it is an insignificant amount. He reads the paper without the funnies. He sees himself as sophisticated, but (so far at least) his character does not seem to think he's better than his housemates or anyone else. This is a quality which many handicapped people seem to have, and it's a great example. 

As I'm thinking about plays as literature right now, my appreciation for them is increasing. This is an exciting and direct way of bringing literature to life, and I love that. It's no wonder that Shakespeare is such an important literary figure to this day. Then I think of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and am reminded how well-read that title is and how it has been turned into captivating movies. I recently watched the modern Pride and Prejudice and was talking with some friends about how much we enjoy the dialogue. It makes the movie unique, deep, intelligent, and entertaining. Though I didn't think about it at the time, I now see that what we were actually talking about was literature.