Brain Fitness Debrief #11

I recall bringing in some artist's photobook to class one day to look at with him, and when I pulled it out and started pointing out aspects of the photos I thought were cool or interesting, he remarked, "But you've already looked at it. The only reason you're pulling this out is to go over it with me but you already know about it." I didn't really understand what he meant by this, but then I explained to him that it was actually my first time looking at these photos, sharing this experience with him. He seemed surprised that I didn't have anything planned out for what I was going to say or what I wanted him to think about, but instead was simply sharing an experience with him. He was more appreciative and attentive after this. This event really demonstrated how sometimes people with handicaps tend to see themselves as subjects rather than peers, where people working with them see them as students to go over material with rather than friends to share experiences with. Treating S as a friend meant a lot to me and represented how everyone deserves to be treated equally, no matter their handicap or mental capabilities. I brought up this very instance in a couple conversations with friends afterwards and pointed out how much it touched my heart to know that showing this person he really mattered, and his presence and friendship was valued. Every person I told agreed that it really made them realize how much a little hand of help, in the form of community engagement, can make a huge difference in someone's self-esteem and life in general.

Brain Fitness Debrief #9

Again, as my partner is not proficient in grasping this kind of conversation, so we focused more on basic conversation today. I wanted to get a quote that would sum up the book, one that I could put at the end, or at the beginning. To achieve this, I posed big questions to him, centered around his theories about life or big lessons he has learned over the years. At one point, he proclaimed "I'm a happy man." I then asked him: "What makes you happiest?" he replied with "My wife." This just proves that my focus for the second half of the book (his family, and sharing experiences with people he loves) was on point, affirming that I have the right idea about where this book is going. S is a very family-oriented man and the love he has for his wife is inspiring and the main focus in his life, so I was happy to hear that this will in fact be a part of the book that will really resonate with him. We then asked him to give us some advice about life. He told us to "Think about the world around you," and exclaimed that "We are not perfect people, but we do as best we can." This theme exemplifies his personality and these ideas have come up when discussing other facets of his life, such as his career, where he worked with people and travelled the world teaching others how to better do their job. Again, I was happy to hear that a section of this book will also support his ideals. All in all I am confident that what I have thrown together, he will be very happy with.