Quality Over Quantity

Well, during my conversation with Brendon on our way home from a support group meeting Thursday night, I thought I'd have a lot of material to work with in writing a post. But when it came down to formulating it in my head, I realized that there wasn't much to write and nearly decided to scrap it.

Then I realized, 'oh but there is plenty of material'. Just because there isn't a lot to write, doesn't make the post all the less important.

This is Brendon's style. A lot of substance with little filler.

On our way home from the support group meeting, Brendon asked me why we had to go. I told him that it's nice to gather with people who are going through the same thing we are because it helps to know we're not alone in dealing with diabetes. And I said, even if we feel OK about things, maybe we can help other people who don't feel OK. I finally asked him isn't it nice for him to play with other kids who understand what he has to deal with.

He said to me that he likes playing with the other kids because he feels comfortable with them. He also told me that he feels comfortable with kids who don't have diabetes, but who know he has it. He didn't however feel comfortable around kids who don't know he has diabetes. I asked why and he replied that sometimes when they're walking in the hallway at school, older kids will come up to him and point to his pump pak asking if it's a cell phone. He said "I just tell them it's nothing and keep walking."

The little he said says a lot to me....who makes him comfortable and uncomfortable. To him, diabetes is a very intimate thing and only his inner circle has the privilege of knowing about it. He feels comfortable with them because they understand and he doesn't feel the need to explain it to them.

They just let him be who he is without diabetes being the focus.

I know educating people who are curious goes a long way in those people accepting differences in others, but hell, it's hard enough managing and living with diabetes all day long every single day. It's exhausting. Having to be an advocate is just another boulder on shoulders that are carrying enough on his 7 year old frame.

Sometimes a person just has to go through the day and just be. Just...simply...be.