O/T A slightly different perspective

I was privileged to attend a meeting today when a young man with significant learning difficulties gave a short insight in to how he has gradually, with great support, managed to find his positive niche in life. Despite many challenges he told us how he is now able to travel independently on public transport. He now works, in itself once considered an unachievable goal for him, as part of a team of other adults with similar difficulties (Downs, autism and so on) looking after the hanging baskets and flower troughs in 29 stations on the network south east line. Some of you may have enjoyed the fruits of their labour.He also spends every Friday doing volunteer work helping the homeless and two evening a week helping with children's gymnastic classes. All of his was conveyed with humour, modesty and incredible enthusiasm and joy.

I wanted to share this because I found it quite inspirational. Here was someone who had not been handed the advantages in life that most of us take for granted but was immensley proud of the fact that he could travel on a train on his own and was giving up his time to help others he clearly considered less fortunate han himself.

Perhaps we could all (and very much myself included) could learn from this. When we complain about the catering in the 1901, the queue for pies in the concourse, the wait for a park and ride bus or whether a steward will let us stand up at a football match, perhaps we could take a little breath and think about whether these little gripes are really such a big deal.

Sorry if you are offended or feel this post is inappropriate but hopefully someone will understand what I am saying.

Thank you

It's good to have a bit of perspective. But next time I'm getting annoyed at not being served for a pie at the Amex I can't see myself thinking "at least I don't have Down's".

I think it is entirely appropriate and a lot more so than some of the rubbish which gets on here. Anybody who would take offence might need to take a good look at themselves.

A couple of years ago I went to the AGM and presentation evening of a local organisation in Southampton which runs mailing and printing services, offering employment to similarly disadvantaged people. It was both moving and humbling.