Participants in one small learning group wrote about their experiences. This one is by Mark and Jill Sestina.
As You Wish
Even from the beginning - her life was different. She decided to pick the place of her birth – choosing the back of an ambulance a block from the house on Brownlee Avenue. Madison was not going to have any bright lights of a delivery room or the medical coverings that would hide the identity of her attendants. Our princess began her life in the presence of a “community” of regular, everyday common folk with grit. The EMT’s conquered the unusual situation with compassion and respect – understanding that each person in the world is unique and wonderful with limited potential.
Although the geographic location and personnel have changed, she is still surrounded by the same energy and determination. Our family has been blessed with the camaraderie and expertise of the Action Learning Group of Fayette County. Just another group of regular, everyday common folk with courage of lions and hearts of gold.
Our daughter was born with developmental delays. These delays concerned us so we began our quest for answers in all of the usual places. With the tremendous support of Sharon Gibbs, Missy Smith, Suzie Janasov and other people in the educational community – our trek was short and complete as one could possibly imagine. But Jill and I needed to compliment their efforts. So we searched and found several others (aka action learning) - parents of children with special needs who possess wealth of information, strength, and support for our needs as well as Madison’s. After expecting answers to all of our questions – we found questions. This unique process of asking ‘what if” sparks the imagination of all the members of the group and creates paths of possibility. We found our Action Learning Group is like the Power Rangers – mighty as individuals but AWESOME when we are connected together as one.
The first group that we were in consisted of nine females and one male – me. This situation reminds me of a scene from the movie “The Princess Bride.” I felt like the grandson in the movie sick in bed and being visited by his grandfather who was about to read him the book “The Princess Bride.”
The grandson asks, “Does it have any sports?” The grandfather replies, “Are you kidding? Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles.” The grandson answers, “I’ll try to stay awake.”
I learned a lot during those weeks – just like the grandson did by the end of the book. The result of action learning is love and the sessions contain all of the above – full of emotion, information, knowledge, friendship and support. It has made us better persons, more willing advocates for those in need and better prepared parents for our unique and wonderful princess whose motto is, “ The sky is the limit.” I have also learned that a good dose of Action Learning is good medicine for men whose symptoms consist of selective listening, one-sided communication, and intimidation at the thought of revealing their fears and possibly having to take advice from others. We have just completed our second session and I’m looking forward to our next opportunity.
After the last meeting had ended, I flashed back to the movie with the sick lad and the story of the reading grandfather. The boy had renewed his relationship with his family and asked the grandfather to come back and read him the story again the next day. I, like the boy, want more. I muttered to my dearest friends as they left for home, “ as you wish.”
