Just pause. It sounds simple, but in many situations, it’s very hard to do. I am an implementer. If I’m asked to do something, I’m on it. Lickity-split. Pronto. Edit a document? Already doing it. Write a letter of recommendation? Give me an hour. Email in my inbox? Answer sent. Voicemail? “Hello, this is Ned Andrew, returning your call.” My natural anxiety has not allowed me to pause. To wait. To consider. To reflect. To look before leaping. To give the universe a chance to chime in. (My wife … [Read more...]
The Right Thing
April 18, 2020 By 2 Comments
The birds in our backyard know the right thing when they see it, or feel it. Landing on the tube feeder filled with a blend of white millet, black oil sunflower, striped sunflower and safflower seeds, they select one, determine its weight, and decide whether its nutritious enough to ingest. If not, it gets tossed aside. But that’s okay too, because a different breed of bird, who scavenges primarily on the ground, will discover a treat waiting there. As I set out to write my … [Read more...]
Finding My Voice
January 4, 2020 By 1 Comment
At 62 years old, I am, after three decades, trying to find my voice. That might sound like an odd statement for those who know me, and have “heard” my voice in articles I’ve written for magazines and newspapers, or as a presenter or meeting facilitator. And yes, I’ve been able to insert as much Ned-Andrew-ness as possible into the work I’ve done, but, because of circumstances, I have not been able to speak freely. For a very long time. That is slowly, incrementally, changing. I have been … [Read more...]
Raising the Bar, for the Sake of Our Children
December 30, 2019 By 2 Comments
Face it: we parents with children with disabilities (my wife, Gina, and I have three) can be the worst when it comes to holding high enough expectations for our sons and daughters. Because of our desire to shield our loved ones from emotional pain, physical harm, or personal failure, we make choices which are sometimes not in the best interest of our kids – no matter what age these “kids” may be. Although we might say we want our sons and daughters to enjoy a meaningful and productive life, … [Read more...]
Lasts
December 23, 2019 By 3 Comments
I’ve been thinking a lot about “lasts” lately, here, seven calendar days from my retirement from the Council on Developmental Disabilities, and the State of Tennessee; from the job I’ve done for the last nineteen years. In the past two months I’ve attended my last TBI Advisory Council, Special Education Advisory Council, Youth in Transition Advisory Council, and State Family Support Council meetings in my current role. A little over a month ago was the last State Interagency Coordinating … [Read more...]
Gem Mining
December 21, 2019 By 1 Comment
“No one can really know what you are called to, or what you are capable of, but you.” – Mark Nepo, from The Book of Awakening When we think about our friends, colleagues and family members who experience disabilities, we often talk about identifying those unique skills, talents or attributes that will help them become engaged, or more fully included, in their communities. We ask, “what can so-and-so bring to the table” that would be beneficial, desired, and appreciated. When helping … [Read more...]
Who Do You Know?
December 13, 2019 By Leave a Comment
Each of us has the power to build a bridge. A few months ago, a young lady with an intellectual disability – let’s call her Angela - reached out to me. She was being served by an entity that was having some difficulty finding her an internship that suited her. Angela knew exactly the kind of work she wanted to do. It was a job where she could envision her future. Angela had the self-advocacy thing down. She called me. She said, “Mr. Ned, I need your help.” Angela and I already had a … [Read more...]
We Need More People with Disabilities and Family Members in Leadership Roles
December 8, 2019 By Leave a Comment
by Ned Andrew Solomon This year, Tennessee’s Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (DIDD) brought on a Commissioner who is the father of a child with a disability. Good on them! That’s the kind of hire that needs to happen more. Our disability-specific agencies that serve families that experience autism, Down syndrome, epilepsy, traumatic brain injuries, mental health issues, blindness, deafness, etc., are typically led by people who experience that disability, or … [Read more...]
In Search of a Calm, Familiar Place, through Technology
November 20, 2019 By Leave a Comment
One of my earliest memories of my stepson, Bernie Lynette, was him sitting in his pajamas, staring straight into his computer screen on Christmas Day, 2009, his back to the rest of the world. We were at my parents-in-law’s home in Sevierville, Tennessee. It was crowded and noisy, and the living room and kitchen where we all gathered in proximity to Bernie was a bustle of activity. Food and coffee were being made; wrapped gifts were being placed into position; relatives from several cities and … [Read more...]
Conducting and Participating in Effective Meetings
November 2, 2019 By Leave a Comment
I typically don’t like meetings, do you? Meetings can be the Great Time-Suckers; the zone where productivity goes to die. The place where you’re thinking of a thousand things you’d rather or need to be doing. But I promise you this: meetings do not have to be this way. They can be productive, energizing, an effective use of valuable time, and, dare I say, even enjoyable. Enjoyable? Well, you and I are obviously not the same person, but I find attending a meeting enjoyable when something … [Read more...]
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