When Samuel was about a year old, my wife Betsy and I used to wonder constantly if he would ever crawl, sit up, or walk. We would compare notes each night, discussing the good and not so good points of his day. We finally figured out that constantly worrying about what Samuel will or won’t do in the future just isn't the way to be his parents. We have to live in the present, look at who he is as a person, and see his experience as our son. This realization didn’t come quickly, but we’ve been learning ever since.
Samuel changed the way I look at everyone around me. He has taught me not to pre-judge anyone by how they talk, or whether they can talk, or how they move or see or hear. He has taught me patience and not to make assumptions. We still have questions. How will he make friends? How can he get a job that he likes? How can he become a fully-realized adult?
Including Samuel, a 50-minute film to be released this fall, documents my family’s efforts to include Samuel in all facets of school and community. Including Samuel also features four other families with varied inclusion experiences plus interviews with educators, students, parents, and disability rights experts, including Jan Nisbet and Cheryl Jorgensen of the IOD.
I look forward to introducing you to Samuel, and also to Keith, Alana, Emily, Nathaniel and many others when I begin screening and distributing the film this fall.
Dan Habib and his wife Betsy McNamara are graduates of the NH Leadership Series, the seven-month IOD program to which Dan credits his passion to focus on and work toward Samuel’s inclusion. For more information and to sign up for the mailing list with film updates, go to www.includingsamuel.com.
