Guest guest Posted June 3, 2005 Report Share Posted June 3, 2005 this short story was written for parents of children with disabilities, but it applies to all types of lives. Its one i always remember when i feel down........I was a teacher and often had parents down about their child who is " different " . so i would give them this. When i had child of my own with bipolar, and other illnesses.... i remembered this. And now that i have bipolar and fms.... i get inspiration from this too. Not everyone will agree, but its something worth thinking about WELCOME TO HOLLAND by Perl Kingsley I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this. When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guidebooks and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo . The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting! After months of eager anticipation the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, " Welcome to Holland. " " Holland?!? you say. " What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy. But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay. The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place. So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met. It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills.and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts. But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy.and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of you life, you will say, " Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned. And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away.because the loss of that dream is a very, very significant loss. But.if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things.about Holland. Copyright 1987 by Perl Kingsley. All rights reserved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 3, 2005 Report Share Posted June 3, 2005 I too have always loved that story. I was blessed with 2 healthy and gifted children and appriciated where we lived. That has all changed now between my illnesses and my daughter's BP and son's depression. Thankyou so much for reminding me of the story! WE just have to live where ever is decided on, by our Lord Hugs, Deb in Ohio In Fibromyalgia_Support_Group , " Anissa " agj2004@e...> wrote: > this short story was written for parents of children with disabilities, but > it applies to all types of lives. Its one i always remember when i feel > down........I was a teacher and often had parents down about their child who > is " different " . so i would give them this. When i had child of my own with > bipolar, and other illnesses.... i remembered this. And now that i have > bipolar and fms.... i get inspiration from this too. Not everyone will > agree, but its something worth thinking about > > WELCOME TO HOLLAND > > by Perl Kingsley > > I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a > disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique > experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this. > > When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation > trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guidebooks and make your wonderful > plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo . The gondolas in Venice. You > may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting! After > months of eager anticipation the day finally arrives. You pack your bags > and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes > in and says, > > " Welcome to Holland. " > > " Holland?!? you say. " What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm > supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy. But > there's been a change in the flight plan. > > > They've landed in Holland and there you must stay. > > > The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, > disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just > a different place. So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must > learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people > you would never have met. It's just a different place. It's slower-paced > than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while > and you catch your breath, you look around.and you begin to notice that > Holland has windmills.and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts. > > > But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy.and they're all > bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. > > > And for the rest of you life, you will say, " Yes, that's where I was > supposed to go. That's what I had planned. > > > And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away.because the loss > of that dream is a very, very significant loss. But.if you spend your life > mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to > enjoy the very special, the very lovely things.about Holland. > > Copyright 1987 by Perl Kingsley. All rights > reserved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 3, 2005 Report Share Posted June 3, 2005 I too have always loved that story. I was blessed with 2 healthy and gifted children and appriciated where we lived. That has all changed now between my illnesses and my daughter's BP and son's depression. Thankyou so much for reminding me of the story! WE just have to live where ever is decided on, by our Lord Hugs, Deb in Ohio In Fibromyalgia_Support_Group , " Anissa " agj2004@e...> wrote: > this short story was written for parents of children with disabilities, but > it applies to all types of lives. Its one i always remember when i feel > down........I was a teacher and often had parents down about their child who > is " different " . so i would give them this. When i had child of my own with > bipolar, and other illnesses.... i remembered this. And now that i have > bipolar and fms.... i get inspiration from this too. Not everyone will > agree, but its something worth thinking about > > WELCOME TO HOLLAND > > by Perl Kingsley > > I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a > disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique > experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this. > > When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation > trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guidebooks and make your wonderful > plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo . The gondolas in Venice. You > may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting! After > months of eager anticipation the day finally arrives. You pack your bags > and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes > in and says, > > " Welcome to Holland. " > > " Holland?!? you say. " What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm > supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy. But > there's been a change in the flight plan. > > > They've landed in Holland and there you must stay. > > > The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, > disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just > a different place. So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must > learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people > you would never have met. It's just a different place. It's slower-paced > than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while > and you catch your breath, you look around.and you begin to notice that > Holland has windmills.and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts. > > > But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy.and they're all > bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. > > > And for the rest of you life, you will say, " Yes, that's where I was > supposed to go. That's what I had planned. > > > And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away.because the loss > of that dream is a very, very significant loss. But.if you spend your life > mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to > enjoy the very special, the very lovely things.about Holland. > > Copyright 1987 by Perl Kingsley. All rights > reserved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 3, 2005 Report Share Posted June 3, 2005 I too have always loved that story. I was blessed with 2 healthy and gifted children and appriciated where we lived. That has all changed now between my illnesses and my daughter's BP and son's depression. Thankyou so much for reminding me of the story! WE just have to live where ever is decided on, by our Lord Hugs, Deb in Ohio In Fibromyalgia_Support_Group , " Anissa " agj2004@e...> wrote: > this short story was written for parents of children with disabilities, but > it applies to all types of lives. Its one i always remember when i feel > down........I was a teacher and often had parents down about their child who > is " different " . so i would give them this. When i had child of my own with > bipolar, and other illnesses.... i remembered this. And now that i have > bipolar and fms.... i get inspiration from this too. Not everyone will > agree, but its something worth thinking about > > WELCOME TO HOLLAND > > by Perl Kingsley > > I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a > disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique > experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this. > > When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation > trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guidebooks and make your wonderful > plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo . The gondolas in Venice. You > may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting! After > months of eager anticipation the day finally arrives. You pack your bags > and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes > in and says, > > " Welcome to Holland. " > > " Holland?!? you say. " What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm > supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy. But > there's been a change in the flight plan. > > > They've landed in Holland and there you must stay. > > > The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, > disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just > a different place. So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must > learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people > you would never have met. It's just a different place. It's slower-paced > than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while > and you catch your breath, you look around.and you begin to notice that > Holland has windmills.and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts. > > > But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy.and they're all > bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. > > > And for the rest of you life, you will say, " Yes, that's where I was > supposed to go. That's what I had planned. > > > And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away.because the loss > of that dream is a very, very significant loss. But.if you spend your life > mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to > enjoy the very special, the very lovely things.about Holland. > > Copyright 1987 by Perl Kingsley. All rights > reserved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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