dear diary

Double Helix by Nancy Werlin

I enjoy reading YA fiction. They are usually quicker reading. I have noticed a disturbing tread, but I'll discuss that later.

I finished up one last night about DNA and genetic research. I found the book interesting. I will write later about the plot, etc. At the end of the book the "hero" was speaking to a professor and she was telling about a conference she had attended about genetic research. She was excited by the fact we may learn to stop Parkinson's, Huntingtons, and other genetic time bombs. Thoughts of stopping birth defects, curing the world of all its ills.

The conference had been open to the public, a young man stood up from the audience to speak. What he said was "we don't hurt anyone, we don't kill, why do you want to kill us". The young man had Down's Syndrome.

What right do the sciences feel they have to play God? It amazes me, either scientist don't know anyone who was born with disabilities or they never looked on the positive side. I am daily amazed at the things my daughter comes up with. I would be a different person (and not in a good way maybe) if she had not been in my life. Don't get me wrong all of my children have influenced me to be better and to grow, it's just I have more of a daily contact with her. And anyone who knows her will have to admit she has something special going for her.

She isn't the only one. One night at SN the weather had turned nasty. Stuart came up to me in his wheel chair, put his arm around me, kissed me on the cheek and told me to be careful driving home because the weather was so bad. People with disabilities, on the whole, have positive, good things to give to the world if only people would let them. The world would be a colder world without these special angels the God has given us.

When ever I hear a train whistle it still reminds me of childhood memories, but now it also reminds me of time spent with Christopher.

posted by seastartrue @ 9:31 AM