Update: Susan Boyle-every life is precious

May 4, 8:58 PMRoman Catholic ExaminerPamela Luther

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   Susan Boyle:  AP Photo

With the news of swine flu finally waning, I found myself reflecting on the last month or so and the various stories that have been woven through the news cycle.  I immediately thought of Susan Boyle, Scottish singing sensation, who wowed the world on Britain’s Got Talent show. News of her seems to have been buried by the HINI virus the couple of weeks.

Being the curious sort of person that I am, I decided to hunt around and see if I could find some current news about the meteoric rise to fame Susan has experienced.

In that search, I discovered that Susan has struggled with some learning disabilities due to a lack of oxygen to her brain at birth. School was hard for her, and she was considered “slow”. Because of the learning struggles she had, she admits that she was a target of bullying, according to Same Difference a website about learning disabilities.

Same Difference goes on to disclose:

She told Deadline Scotland that she hopes the show will highlight her disabilities. She said:
[Boyle] says she hopes the show will highlight her disability too. She said, “I was slightly brain damaged at birth, and I want people like me to see that they shouldn’t let a disability get in the way. I want to raise awareness — I want to turn my disability into ability.”
 

 Writer Quinn Bradley goes on to state what I believe is a profound definition of inspiration:

“…I believe that I have learned the definition of inspiration: When you are thought of less by another and then you overpower the prejudices of your critic's close mindedness."

There are many misconceptions about people with learning disabilities which can best be eased by education and/or personal experience. How easy it is for us to inwardly recoil when we hear “learning disability” and perhaps make a quick judgment about another person.  How mistaken we are to assume that one with learning disabilities or even mental health problems is less of a person. The way Boyle has taken what seems to be a disability and has turned it into ability is the perfect example of the above definition of inspiration.

I love the fact that people’s mouths were agape when Susan opened her mouth to sing. What a perfect and serious lesson in judging appearances we saw when the looks of cynicism turned to amazement and then to appreciation.

Susan’s devout Catholic faith has graced her through difficult times. She demonstrates the quintessential concept of humility by her modest self-statements that are honest but not self-deprecating.

I  think we can all learn something about God from Susan. He looks at us all with a great love that is beyond our human imagination. On the surface, for most of her life, Susan has been viewed as a very nice person, not particularly lovely by the world’s standards, and shackled by a past that including the bullying that was instigated by her learning disability.

To Him, everyone is special. We look at the outward appearances; He looks upon the heart. Every life is valuable to Him, for He is the creator of life. For Susan to be able to stand up, look the world in the eye and sing out is a remarkable testimony of her faith, her family’s love and support and the miracle of life itself.

Fr. James Martin sums all it quite nicely:

"Everybody is somebody" said Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan at his installation Mass in New York City yesterday. That's another reason why the judges smile and the audience explodes in applause.
Because they recognized a basic truth planted deep within them by God: Susan Boyle is somebody.
Everybody is somebody."
 

I agree. How many others are there who have not had the loving support of parents and a faith-filled life that challenges them to go beyond what the world expects? How many other Susan Boyles have been filed aways in the "not so special" category. God help us all to look beyond the outward appearances and see the inward beauty and value of others, especially those with extra challenges.

Here is a wonderful version of Susan Boyle singing "Killing Me Softly" in 1999. Be sure to read the screen!

Susan Boyle singing "Cry me a River"  (I could listen to this a hundred times!)

< Here is a video of Susan Boyle at age 22 singing "The Way We Were"