Living an Abundant Life
Over the summer break I had the privilege of caring for 24 intellectually disabled teenagers at a holiday camp. Over the course of the camp I watched these children care for one another in a way I had rarely witnessed.
One particular moment really touched my heart. We were having a scavenger hunt and the children waited for their turn to find a puzzle piece. One boy, Nathan, was quietly pointing out to me all the pieces he could see. One by one all of Nathan’s treasured pieces were taken until only one piece remained.
The next child to have a turn was the most impaired child at camp. He searched the room but could not find any piece of the puzzle. Before any of the leaders could help, Nathan had stood up and taken the one remaining piece he could see and put it in the other child’s hand.
Nathan will most likely never achieve the things in life that most of us see as an indication of success and happiness. Yet, his life is full of joy. I sat back and thought about whether, if I was in the same position, I would have done what Nathan had.
William Ward once said that the three keys to more abundant living were:
“caring about others, daring for others, sharing with others.”
I hope that Nathan’s example will serve as a reminder that what truly matters in life are the relationships we share with those around us.
- Vanessa Hughes,,
- Arts and Sciences,
- North Sydney
