Cognitive Disabilities

Upon being asked to submit a brief review to this journal, I, at first, thought I had nothing to contribute. Then I realized that for the last 8 months (since October 6, 2017), after having been in a hospital for 2 months, I have had the opportunity to live with several persons with cognitive disabilities. My “roommates” all older than I am at 51, have Severe Autism; Down’s syndrome; brain tumors; and Cerebral Palsy. I’ve noticed after these 8 moths of daily living together, that these people with disabilities have superior characters to so-call normal people. When I think of these people I went to university and school with; played sports with; or worked with, I did not have to worry about what my new-found friends were scheming. They don’t scheme like the normal people do. They have no hidden agenda. Yes, they do have mobility; communication, bladder and bowel control and conversational problems; but they are not conceited; pompous; violent; bullies; evil or crocked. It is more to manage relationships with high IQ people than lower IQ people. The latter are more enjoyable to associate with. I prefer to associate with the lower IQ people. They are affectionate; kind; humble; patient; obedient and funny. The life lesson that I learned in the last 8 months is to value all people regardless of cognitive ability. An American Priest who served the poor once said, “I prefer to live the poor.” I like wise prefer to live with those with cognitive disabilities. As the 68 year old fellow with Cerebral Palsy said on the telephone to someone, “You might not value my life, but I do.”