"You will,you must, you can" - Eunice Shriver

The recent passing of Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver, has been an invaluable reminder for me. First, its given me a renewed appreciation for her life's work with the mentally retarded around the world (especially in the United States). I have a sister who is autistic, and if it wasn't for Mrs. Shriver, people with learning disabilities and mental retardation would not have the voice and the opportunities they have today. Most importantly, without Mrs. Shriver's empathy, patience and understanding (her sister Rosemary was mentally retarded), those with mental retardation would be unable to contribute to their communities with the same respect and dignity afforded the everyday citizen.

Secondly, Mrs. Shriver inspired me. She turned the challenges and tragedies throughout her life into positives. She pushed her goals and eleemosynary causes forward. She knew that the fight goes on. I don't think she ever complained. Living with a slight, but ever-present stutter, there have been times where I've fallen into the trappings of self-pity and the 'Why me?' moments. I was the only person in my school with a stutter and I was teased relentlessly. Eventually, I learned to tease back and develop this self-deprecating attitude. One day the other children forgot about my stutter and realized I was a fun person just like them.

As life moves on and the years go by, its easy to focus on one's problems and forget that everything in life happens for a reason. There is no reason to be embarrassed to have a stutter or a sister with autism. It's simply part of who I am. To be honest, I still don't entirely understand why I was born with a stutter, why I have a sister with autism, or why my parents divorced. What I do know, is that all of these things have made me the person I am today. Having a stutter (or this daily humbling as I like to call it) hasn't slowed me down one bit.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver will continue to inspire me all the days of my life. When I need reminding that I can do something or that I'm capable of achieving my goals when I'm full of doubt, I'll think of Eunice and what she would do if she were in my shoes. You will, you must, you can.