« There is a growing tendency to exclude the different, the useless, the foreign, the other... »

« The joy of existing ALEXANDRE It's vital! You have to deal with it. "We are on board," as Pascal would say. Too many people stop only at this dark, negative aspect of our situation, without seeing the openings. They see only the snail in the disabled person, or more generally in the different individual. I cannot explain this strange phenomenon. The events I am recounting have caused acute suffering. The omnipresence of loneliness, separation from our parents, indescribable pain: this was our daily lot. On Sunday, the day I left my parents and brother, my tears signalled my departure three hours in advance. And as the bus took us to the centre, I watched through the window every metre that kept me away from Mom. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, we rejoiced a lot, and for little ultimately. This contentment dominated our whole existence and took different forms: the joy of existing, the joy of knowing companions to face difficulties, of having parents who love us. Why forget such a "good mood" when I was now living in a place for normal people? At the Centre, the simple things of daily life, a smile, a good dessert, provided a feeling of happiness. The sweetness of life in its purest simplicity reminds us to take advantage of it against all odds. Life was not a rival, but an ally. A demanding, severe, but allied ally all the same. Of course, we were not aware of it at all, but we lived it day by day. Adrien exemplifies this trait of character. Suffering from mental retardation, he could neither read nor write, he was only able to stammer a few words. In his language, which I had assimilated over time "Mamaya" meant, for example, "I'm going to Mommy's house." For every thing, he had invented his own code. This may come as a surprise, but it was easy to understand, with the habit. SOCRATES Like a foreign language? ALEXANDRE Of course, the things he wanted to say remained very simple. His attention to the other struck. No characteristics of his entourage escaped him. He watched with admiration all those he saw. He felt joy in contemplating the beautiful things that others possessed. He thus proved his attachment. He did not have sufficient intellectual opportunities to express his feelings. By saying, in his language: "You, bo sweater", or "You, well coiffed", he was able to express simply his tenderness, his friendship, his joy of being with me. Yes, once again, it is vital. I was moved when Adrien cared about Jerome. Adrien showed such sustained attention for Jerome that it was almost another Adrien who helped Jerome. No longer the clumsy, heavy Adrien, but a subtle Adrien, knowing how to find the gesture to put Jerome back in bed. Especially since he doesn't fall! This image impresses me. Adrien instinctively found a finesse comparable to that of a tigress who masters his aggressiveness to feed his young. The other always seemed different to him, likely to amaze, to amaze. His interlocutor always became for him a person with whom he communicated and often communicated. Once again, the weakness, the inability to speak sought a path to surpass itself. Adrien re-established dialogue through mediation not of speech, but of his being, a source of joy. »

« The fear of being authentic, the fear of injury cause a lot of harm. »