I just had the pleasure of attending the Annual Gala of the National Down Syndrome Society in New York City (February 9th, 2012 at Gotham Hall). Throughout all of the excitement, I was lucky to be able to take some time to appreciate the beauty of the occasion- a wonderful meal, a silent auction, the tuxedos and gowns, decorations, and a breathtaking hall.
Having too often seen people with intellectual and developmental disabilities confined to the dingy corners of society, it moved me to see Down Syndrome celebrated in such a beautiful way. The goal of the evening was not cure, not elimination of a perceived scourge, but a means of raising funds to build up lives - lives with meaning and purpose. Well done, NDSS.
"Beauty is truth, and truth, beauty. That is all one knows, and all one needs to know."
