Jason was different.
It was not any fault of his own.
He was born that way.
He could not walk like other boys his age. He moved in an exaggerated fashion. He
had to swing his leg, not raise it and move it forward in an orderly fashion. And
his talk, it was elongated. Like someone took each of his words and stretched it out
like a rubberband.
If that was not enough, he was born with a big raised birth mark on the right side of his
face. Some said it looked like the continent of Africa. All Jason knew was it
was another flaw.
It only was Jason's outside that gave him problems. His mind was as clear as a bell.
Although the kids would call him "retard" when he was little because of
how he looked, walked and talked, the reality was, he was the best scholar in his class.
His marks were unblemished, and now in his senior year of high school, Jason seemed
destined to be the Valedictorian of his class.
This was a worry for a lot of people around Jason. They were wondering how he would
express himself when it came to delivering the valedictory address. How would he
work his way through his obstacles.
It was something Jason too pondered. He knew he did not sound like he wanted to
sound. And he wished he looked and walked like the rest of the guys his age.
But that just was not what God had planned for him. Jason often wondered,
what did God have planned for me. Why did he let me be born with all of this defects
and flaws.
Jason did not wait for the answer to that rhetorical question, instead he just continued
to go about and do the best with what he had.
He could not compete in sports, but with his slow, extended speech, he cheered as loud as
he could. As for social events, he could not dance. But nobody realized
how hard he was dancing in his heart.
He tried to forget about his facial blemish. The mirror would not let him. But
his friends all realized, it was not what Jason was on the outside that mattered, it
was the Jason that was on the inside that was loved.
To a person in the school, the kids all loved Jason. It had been a slow process.
Young kids are prone to tease and pick on someone who is different. But
Jason, as he grew up made many converts and by the time they were ready to leave school
and go into the world, all were in his corner.
Graduation day arrived. Jason felt the knot in his stomach. He had the paper
in his hand containing his speech. He adjusted his cap and gown and prepared himself
for what to him would be a long walk to the podium. He already had suffered through
the procession to the platform where all the graduates were seated and now, he thought, he
was facing the longest walk of his life.
He heard the class advisor began the introduction. His name was being called.
Jason knew it was time for him to arise and begin his trek to the podium.
He slowly rose from his seat. And as he moved to the podium, he expected people to
be fidgeting waiting for him to arrive with his slow, leg-dragging gait. Instead he
heard the start of applause from behind him and turned to see the entire graduating class
rising, one by one, clapping their hands as loud as they could, in encouragement of
their courageous Valedictorian.
By the time Jason arrived at the podium, not only was his class on its feet, but the
entire auditorium had risen. To a person, everyone there was standing and cheering
for Jason.
Jason straightened himself in front of the microphone.
He slow, studied vocal pattern gasping on to the words from the paper.
"When I was born," Jason started, his words were slow but steady.
"My parents loved me."
He paused and gathered himself for his next sentence. " God loved me."
Jason wished he could speak faster but pressed forward, "Since I started school, all
of you have learned to love me."
"And somewhere along the line I have learned to love myself."
Jason steadied himself and continued, "And now that I love myself, I can also love
all of you."
Jason turned, and slowly moved back to his seat. He had done what he dreaded doing.
The speech had been short, sweet and to the point. But he had stood there and
delivered it.
The roar of approval was deafening.
It really was a graduation day for Jason.
