Welcome to Holland

[Trey]

This is a story about raising a child with special needs. I read it quite some time ago, but just came across it again today and wanted to share for those who may not have seen it before.

When you’re going to have a baby, it’s like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It’s all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, “Welcome to Holland.”

“Holland?!?” you say. “What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I’m supposed to be in Italy. All my life I’ve dreamed of going to Italy.”

But there’s been a change in the flight plan. They’ve landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven’t taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It’s just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It’s just a different place. It’s slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you’ve been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around…. and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills….and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy… and they’re all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say “Yes, that’s where I was supposed to go. That’s what I had planned.”

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away… because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.

But… if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn’t get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things … about Holland.

[SnowCrystal]

My sister first read this to me almost 12 years ago when it was clear that my niece was going to be special needs. I fell in love with it then.

Fast forward to Dec '07, my BIL passed away... he was 22 years old and had many special needs. My MIL had always loved this and asked if I would read it at his funeral. I was honored to do so and each time I read it I smile and remember how much he was loved.

Thank you for sharing this...

[JKirstiH]

I have read that before and love it...thank you for sharing it

[Blessed Ohana]

that was beautiful. thank you for sharing it!

[LaneyBug]

Wowsers, Trey! Made me cry. I love it. Thanks!

[Trey]

No problem! It always makes me tear up too!

[Christine]

It's so true! Thanks for sharing.