speds

This morning I was looking through "blogs of note" and came across one that was telling of a 1st job experience as a volunteer.  I took me back to the same, my first job experience as a volunteer.  Day camp for the mentally challenged and physically handicapped.  More than the day by day memories I think back to the personal changes this experience brought me.  To appreciate what I have, to always respect and show care.  It was about this time my middle school bus would drop us about 2 blocks from my street and I would end up walking the distance with the other kids.  A couple of the kids would hang right there for a few minutes.  They just had to wait for the 'short bus' to go by.  Would make faces at and generally disrespect the special ed children on that bus.  My experience with kids down at the Stepping Stones camp brought me to a higher level of understanding.  Needless to say I developed a sort of disrespect for my classmates doing this.  How can a person be so shallow?  The "speds" as they referred to them, did not ask for or walk into their current situation.  It wasn't like it was their fault.  Still the few boys on the middle school bus got a kick out of this.  Sometimes I think back to that time and wish I had never met or known the boys I speak of, but then I guess it is good to see the side of people you don't like.  Not to say or imply that I am in any way a "perfect" person, it is the experiences in life that will teach you to strive to be a better person.