The book is based on the belief that it is better— to live life within community, to have faith, to believe in possibilities, to have the dignity of choice, to have friends, to belong, to be genuinely included, to contribute, to help someone else, to advocate for others, to have a home of my own, to have work, to have the support I need.
Anita had a vision to share her younger son’s journey from a segregated life towards a life that is blessed, fulfilling, meaningful and contributory. Warren has cerebral palsy with resulting intellectual disability and acquired anxiety, but he is also a very caring man with a wonderful sense of humour and a talented artist. It is the author’s sincere desire that the story and stories within the story that describe the journey will provide a space—a readiness of the reader—to receive the good news, hope and believe it is possible for people with a disability to uniquely and genuinely belong and contribute to community.
Anita describes her writing as being like a flower opening its petals as more insights and messages filled her mind. It has turned out to be a ‘life story’ with its joys and sorrows, achievements and failures, reflections and celebrations, faith and doubt, trust, dependence and independence, probabilities and possibilities, and the reality of the endurance of the human spirit when holding on to the power of the Creator.
The book has two distinct parts, with a bridge between the two.
PART 1 is biographical and sets the context—a life journey that has been blessed with the overarching support of community, through many varied, yet typical human experiences. It includes Warren’s unpredictable experiences of inclusion and exclusion, as well as the efforts of people to treat him no differently to his brother, the practices of segregation and congregation of people with a disability, and the dedication of teachers, professionals and families within and using the system who were seeking an ‘ordinary’ life for those under their tutelage and care.
THE BRIDGE relates to a time when Anita was inspired by others to grasp the truths that she already knew in her heart. She reached out to again dream for Warren believing ‘hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life’; Proverbs 13:12. She relate here how a grassroots organisation provided the way for her through various events, to believe in the possibilities for Warren, where previously she had been impacted by systemic barriers that unsurprisingly always placed limits on the possibilities for him. She was connected with a family governed group and, journeying with these amazing, inspirational parents was, and is pivotal to the life Warren has today. Anita believes she would not be telling this story if not for the sharing of other families, who were crafting an ordinary yet unique life that made sense to their family member with a disability. To receive such, inspires to give much!
PART 2 is about Warren’s journey to a unique, community life that made sense for him, with valued roles and a home of his own—a reciprocal life where the sharing and receiving of individual gifts and abilities brings a wealth that is unmeasurable. Each chapter in part two is on a particular subject to maintain continuity on the topic and give the reader an opportunity to delve into their areas of interest. As described, there was a need to rethink and reimagine everything, which led to creating a vision for Warren to get a good life and, building a circle of support of family, friends and allies who would help identify pathways to the ‘best possible community lifestyle with Warren’. The story of the gradual creation of Warren’s own home that included inviting housemates to share the flat below the family home in a reciprocal relationship, and the eventual move to his own home in the community will provide food for thought and encouragement to dream.
![…because it’s better: To live my life within community by [Anita O'Brien]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51S2aUkEYBL._SY346_.jpg)
