The Bundle Fable

There was an old woman who was on her death bed.  She grew weary of hearing her children bicker with each other and seeing the struggles they each faced were heart wrenching.  She called to her eldest daughter and asked her to go outside and get the bundle of sticks used for the fire.  The daughter returned and the old woman asked each of her children to try and break the bundle of sticks.  the four children tried and tried and could not break the bundle.  The old woman then asked each child to take a single stick out of the bundle and try to break the stick.  Each child again did as the mother asked and were successful in breaking their stick.  The old woman then looked at each child and said, "Do you understand what I am showing you?".

I thought this was important to share with Cora's readers today.  I spent the day thinking about the struggles that Cora overcomes everyday.  I also thought of the successes that she has proudly achieved.  The train of thought then followed along the tracks of her journey and at every depot there was someone who was standing in support of her and I, waiting for us to disembark from that train and willing to shelter us in support: emotionally, physically and spiritually.

On this journey of Down syndrome and raising Cora it is so essential that when I feel overwhelmed by it all, when I see Cora struggle with her health or physical trials, that I remember we are surrounded by a bundle of supporters.  Cora has the ability to greet these individuals with smiles no matter what the day has brought her, I sometimes greet them with tears in my eyes.  Doesn't matter, for this bundle of people that surround Cora are very strong.  I am ever grateful for all of you.  Because in this alone I would surely break as easily as a stick will under all the pressure.  We all make the choice to be a stick or a part of the bundle.  Any parent who tells you they can be the stick and raise a child with Down syndrome is telling a fable of their own.  It definately takes the bundle!

You do understand what I am trying to tell you today....right?  Blessings to you who are in the bundle of Cora's journey.