joy in looking and comprehending is nature's most beautiful gift

this past week i witnessed one of the most beautiful things i've ever experienced in my short 18 years of life.

every wednesday at 6:00 PM you will find a handful of young, adorable girls, walking into their pastel colored dance studio, giggling as they rip off their street shoes, press their sock covered feet into the laminate floors under them, and begin to warm up to justin bieber. 

as i sat in the corner of my old dance studio and watched what was being unveiled in front of me, a frozen smile was the most i could animate as i fought with all my might to hold back the tears that began to fill my eyes. 

all of these life loving girls i was tearing up over were blessed with down syndrome. each had their most comfortable dance attire on from black leotards and tights, to baggy sweatpants and their favorite tee. taylor, sporting her stretchy pants and autographed JB shirt i forged for her... 

when the class first began taylor, along with a few other girls were all in. touching their toes, shaking their hips, stepping to their left and right, and owning the dance floor. a few where staring at themselves in the mirror, lost with their two left feet that they've never used for dance, and the rest were being stubborn by sitting in the corner refusing to point a toe or extend an arm. 

as the class progressed girls grabbed other girls by the hand, drew them into the group, and one by one before you knew it every girl on the floor was smiling, twirling, telling secrets, laughing, high-fiving one another, cheating at freeze dance without knowing it, and shacking their booties.

i can't tell you how many sixth graders i've glared down  for looking at my little sister like she was something unreal. i'm not sure how many of you know how many school officials my parents have fought against to allow my little sister to get main streamed into middle school classes, which i'm proud to say she's dominating, but her education providers didn't have enough faith in her to believe she could achieve such a thing, like it was out of her reach.

people with down syndrome are not stupid. most of them are smarter then the average human being, and many of them are smarter then some of you reading this post. they may not have the ability to showcase their intelligence, but i could bet on how many of you would be amazed to know what really is going on behind those charming glowing eyes.

so, as i sat there and watched all of these gorgeous girls feel free in the surrounding that this dance studio had created for them, i felt nothing but joy. never have i seen something so beautiful as a young group of gifted girls, surrounding each other, expressing pure love and acceptance, and allowing me to witness every minute of it.

thank you to kendall earl, chelsea manly, and amber sainsbury for providing such an atmosphere.