by Greg Schmidt

My son has a physical disability. You have probably noticed him. He is the one who walks differently from the rest of the children. He is the one who “marches” in the town parade in a wheelchair because he doesn’t have the strength or the ability to walk at a parade pace for any distance. He is the last one to be picked for a team in gym (and were it not required that everyone be on a team, he would probably not be picked at all). He is the first one to be thrown out in dodge ball, as his body does not allow him to get out of the way, which makes him an easy target. And when the kids run off to someplace else he is always left behind.

Despite his physical limitations Matthew loves gym. (If only the math and spelling classes could be as exhibitionistic in their displays of ability as gym class, then he might have a chance of being chosen first rather than last.) A few weeks ago, while on a Boy Scout trip, Matthew climbed an 80-foot rock wall all by himself. He is determined to live as “normal” a life as possible.

I don’t tell you this looking for pity. I tell you this because you need to know something about Matthew. He has never once complained about his life. He does not sit around feeling sorry for himself. Despite having had two major surgeries and having to learn to walk three separate times, he has never whined or complained. He simply does the best he can with what he has been given. Because of this I can say with all honesty that Matthew is my hero.

Matthew has taught me a lesson we all need to learn. Get over yourself. You think you have problems with your life? Put your legs in casts and try to play dodge ball or just walk around the house carrying a cup of water. Maybe doing so would help all of us discover, as Matthew has, that in the grand scheme of things, the lives we lead here in Harvard are not so bad. Indeed, for most of us, life could be a lot worse.

In this season of giving and getting, when greed seems to get the better of us, maybe we need to step back and think about how lucky we are. Maybe we should all take a look at the stuff we have and remember it is not what we have that makes us special. It is who we are that matters. As we prepare lists of extravagant “necessities” that we think we absolutely need, or as we shop for the perfect outfit this holiday season, I encourage us all to think for a moment about how lucky we are just to be healthy, sheltered, and fed.

Greg Schmidt is the minister of the Harvard Congregational Church