Have you ever paid close attention to the classic Christmas television program Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer? Rudolph and Hermey are misfits and the misfit toys are marooned on an Arctic island. It seems people with differences are sort of dismissed. But what’s interesting is that the North Pole is actually quite similar to our own world. We see people with differences every day. Perhaps Christmas is the time to show a little more tolerance.

The number of people with differences is growing. Recently, the Wall Street Journal reported an increase in the number of children with Autism. The National Down Syndrome Society reports one in every 733 births results in a child with Down syndrome. More and more people with differences and disabilities are included in our daily lives. Heck, even the Department of Labor recognizes the increase of people with disabilities in the workplace and has an Office of Disability Employment Policy.

So who needs a Charlie in the Box or a train with square wheels? We all do.  People with disabilities enrich our lives.  Remember the ending of Rudolph?  Santa discovered Rudolph could help guide his sleigh, Hermey removed the teeth of the Abominable  Snowman while Yukon Cornelius had him place the star on top of the Christmas tree.  And Santa made good on a promise to ensure all the misfit toys found children on Christmas morning.

It’s funny how lessons can be learned from the most basic stories.  I hope you have a happy holiday seaon and make room in your life for greater tolerance of people with differences.

Merry Christmas!

Photo credit: uploaded to Flickr by K!T

Benjamin Strong is the Director of Marketing for the United States Coast Guard Amver search and rescue program.  He is the father of three boys, the oldest with Down syndrome.  You can follow his professional exploits on the Amver blog or on Twitter.  His personal thoughts are here.