"Making a Difference" Award Winner

One does not need to know Shirley Mellado personally to figure out what makes her tick….people.

Her warm and inviting personality seems to draw people to her like bees to honey. Watching her interact with her friends and co-workers serves only to further validate this observation. Her soft smile seems to have the power to bring calm to an atmosphere of tension.

It wasn’t surprising to hear that Shirley’s hobbies include such relaxing pastimes as riding horses, gardening, and watching the tulips in her yard grow and blossom. Shirley’s warm approach to her hobbies are a mirror image of her personality, which is prove positive that she is a sincere, transparent and authentic person. In fact, seeing that her personality is her hobbies, and her hobbies are her personality, has me wondering if I should replace my hobby of kick-boxing with one of a little more compassion.

A single mother of many years and currently holding down two jobs, for the past 16 years the pride of Shirley’s life has been her daughter. A junior in high school, Shirley’s daughter also enjoys horses, a hobby the two are able to share together. Shirley exhibits an immediate grin and a glow about her when the topic of her daughter comes up.

Shirley is equally loyal and very respectful of her parents, Bernice and Jim, who also reside in the greater Cleveland area. Although bashful about conceding that she has many of the personal traits often sought by others, Shirley does quickly admit that whatever desirable traits she does have, she got directly from her parents. She is extremely grateful for the way they raised her, and for all they have done (and continue to do) for her.

Some eight years or so ago, Shirley was introduced to an individual that has been touched with mental retardation. Because of his big heart along with the principals this young man displays in all of his life’s activities, Shirley immediately took to him and began to serve as an un-appointed caregiver. She immediately began watching to make sure others always had his best interests in mind when they were involved with many of his outside-the-home activities.

In other words…he touched Shirley’s heart, and apparently…she touched his as well. They were at two complete strangers, coming from completely different backgrounds, and at first glance seemed to have nothing in common. But because they shared the same values in life, they have been friends since their first meeting.

It has been shown that those afflicted with mental retardation have the purest of all hearts. They are not blinded by the prejudices and errant perceptions that obscures the sight of others. These individuals have repeatedly demonstrated their un-canning ability to sense danger before others hear the sirens, and to even sense when a person is not comfortable being around them. In many ways, those afflicted with mental retardation have perfected not only their physical senses, but also their inner-sense to truly understand what’s in the heart of another.

The faith and trust that this young man puts in his friend Shirley is a reminder of the power of human love and respect. Their relationship and the respect each has for the other is an excellent reminder of how precious and gifted both are. And it should serve as a reminder to the rest of us of how gifted each one of us really are; each in our own special way.

Many see these as troubled times. With an impending recession, escalating crime rates, divorce becoming commonplace, more homes being foreclosed upon, families harming family members, and now many of our churches are even closing. In this time of unrest, Shirley truly is “making a difference”…one smile and one hug at a time.

And as for the young man afflicted with mental retardation; he continues on his boundless journey of helping us all understand the pleasure of life and the pleasure of living.