He Knows
By: Shari
He knows..when you look at Clay staring back at you from a picture, you see the kindness in his eyes,
He knows...what it is like to be abandoned by an indifferent parent, asking ourselves what we did that was so wrong as children. Was it our own fault? How do we handle it? He already understand what it is like, having to grapple with it himself.
He knows...what rejection is. He knows the hurt and the anger. Clay knows the looks of relatives who want to exclude you for an invisible crime commited whether it was in your best interest or not.
He knows...what it means to be ignored, to sit on the sidelines and watch life pass you by, to not be one of the chosen few who always seem to get lucky, to not be picked because of a a difference unknown to ourselves, but so plainly obvious to everyone else. How come no one told us?
He knows...how to treat people with kindness, especially women. He has seen first hand what the mark of a hand can do, and Clay knows that even though the bruises fade, that the scar will be there forever.
He knows...the devastation of losing a loved one, and the anguish that goes along with it. He knows what it is like to blame oneself and wonder if there was something we missed or could have done to prevent it. Clay knows too, that it is out of his hands, and he lets God take care of the rest.
He knows...the ridicule and prejudice of our society, the pitfalls of life when others try to hurt you, if for no other reason than you are famous.
He knows...that sometimes we have to defend ourselves best by stepping back, stepping away from the problem and putting it into perspective. BUT...he also knows......what it feels like to see a child blossom before our very eyes and it excites him.
He knows...that life does go on, whether we want it to or not, and that eventually, this too, shall pass.
He knows...deep down in his heart, that he is doing God's work, that it was all part of a divine plan. Clay knows there are no coincidences in life, and things go as they are meant to go, the good and bad.
He knows...the love of a mother who protected him at all costs, even though her own fear was undoubtably as strong and palpable as the love she felt for her child.
He knows.. what it is like to struggle to prove his worth to himself..and to the world, and succeed.
He knows...that no matter what happens in the future, that there are many many people who will love him no matter what.
He knows...that while he is on stage making a joyful noise, celebrating life through song, that he needs us as much as we need him.
He knows...what it is like to stand in a stadium or theatre, and hear the roar of the crowd, knowing it is for him...and only him.
He knows...the effect he has on people. Clay knows that his humor and personality are what is really attractive to people, and the clothing and hairstyles are just the icing on the cake. But most of all...
He knows... that no matter what we look like on the outside, no matter what our disability is, that beneath it all is a person just like him...aching to be heard and struggling.. to learn how to sing.