A Sunny Tomorrow

The following is an excerpt from A Sunny Tomorrow, A collection of Christian based stories for children.

Am I Special?

A Sunny Tomorrow

My mom is beautiful.  Everyone thinks so. When we walk in a store, people stop to stare at her. 

My dad is very smart.  He knows almost everything.  If you need to know something, just ask my dad.  He can answer your question.

I’m just a regular kid.

My sister, Emily is three years old.  She can’t hear with her ears.  She has never heard a word.  That is why she is can’t talk yet. When the doctor told my parents that she has special needs, my mom couldn’t stop crying.  Dad looked really sad.  Emily has been special to us since she was born.  We love Emily even more now that we know she has special needs.

Mom and Dad took Emily to school for Special Education classes because she needs special teachers to help her learn to talk with her hands.  Mom and Dad are going to classes at night to learn to talk to Emily with their hands.  It is called Sign Language.  Right now Emily doesn’t hear what I say, but she knows I love her.

Everywhere we go; people ask what is wrong with Emily.  Mom and Dad say, “Nothing is wrong with Emily.  God made her perfect.  She can talk with her hands and hear with her eyes.  She is a very special child.”

On Monday I walked Emily to her Special Education class.  When she walked in her teacher said, “There’s our special girl.”

At lunch the principal said, “Mrs. Jones, please get Emily a special tray from the cafeteria.”

When we rode the bus home the driver said, “Why don’t we put Emily in a special seat?”

That night the lady at the store handed Emily a lollipop and said, “There you go, special girl”

On Tuesday Emily went in my room and broke my new toy.  I got really angry and yelled at her even though she can’t hear me.  Then Mom yelled at me.   “Don’t yell at her.  You know she has special needs.”

On Wednesday I was doing my homework at the table.  Emily grabbed my paper and tore it.  I started crying because I had to do the paper again.  Mom said, “Don’t be a cry baby.  Emily didn’t know any better.  She can’t help it if she has special needs.”

On Thursday Emily took my ice cream away from me.  I grabbed it back.  Mom said, “Go stand in the corner.  We don’t treat our special girl that way.”

I stood in the corner crying.  Emily came up to give me a hug and I pushed her away.  Dad said, “I am very disappointed in you.  I think you shouldn’t watch television for two days.”  I told him that I didn’t care about that stupid television.  Now I can’t watch television or ride my bike for two days. 

On Friday when we got off the bus, I didn’t wait for Emily.  I just ran in the house.  Mom said, “Where is Emily?”  I said, “She’s coming.”  Mom sent me to my room.  Then she went outside and brought Emily in the house.  When Dad got home, she told him that I left Emily outside by herself.

Dad came into my room and said, “I don’t know what is wrong with you.  You have been mean to Emily all week.  The Bible tells us to be kind to special people.  Emily will never be able to hear.  God made her special.”

On Saturday I had a baseball game, but Mom and Dad couldn’t watch me play because they had to go to the class to learn to talk with their hands.  I was the only kid at the game with no mom or dad watching.  After the game all the other kids went to get ice cream with their mom or dad.  I walked home alone.

When Mom and Dad got home, I asked if we could go get ice cream.  They said no because they had learned some new words to teach Emily.  I asked if maybe we could go on Sunday after church.  They said no because my grandparents wanted to see Emily.

I know God made Emily special, but He made me first.  Doesn’t that make me special?  If Dad is so smart why can’t he see that being made first is special too?

I went to my closet and got the suitcase that I take to Grandma’s house.  Then I started putting clothes in it.  When I was finished, I started out the door, but Dad saw me.  He said, “Where are you going?”  I said, “Well I am the only one here that is not special, so I guess God put me in the wrong house.  I am going to find a house with regular people in it.”

Mom came in from the kitchen and said, “What did you say?”  I said, “I am going to live in a house with people who are just like me, not special.”

Mom said, “Why do you think you are not special?”

I said, “Because everyone is always saying how special Emily is.  No one thinks I’m special.”

Mom and Dad said, “We do.  We think you are special.”

Mom said, “I guess we forget to tell you how special you are to us.”

Dad said, “We are sorry for paying so much attention to Emily that we forgot about you.  We need to show you how special you are to us.  This is your special night.  What would you like to do?”

Mom asked a babysitter to stay with Emily.  Then Mom and Dad took me to eat pizza and ice cream.  While we ate I told them all about my game.  They listened and talked to me.  They talked about my game and my grades.  They talked about a lot of stuff.  But they didn’t talk about Emily.

Am I special?  Yes I am, just because I am me.