Sarah Palin

I did not see her Sarah Palin's acceptance speech for the vice presidential nomination so I watched it on MSN. It was the buzz in the news on that day, saying a star is born in her. So I was intrigued by what she said in her speech. I only knew that she is the governor of Alaska and her 17-year old daughter is pregnant.

Moments later, I was in tears. I related to her in so many ways. A public offical and family woman in Alaska who was virtually unknown and there she was addressing an elite crowd of Republican movers and shakers. Then she introduced her family. One thing struck me so well: she said that our joys sometimes come with challenges. Then she said if she got voted, family of special needs will have an advocate and friend in Washington.

This weekend, when we went to pick up our groceries, I also picked an issue of People magazine. There she was in the cover. I read the article about her and only then that I learned her baby infant, who slept through her speech, has a Down syndrome. It says on the article that she had a amniocentecis and knew, but she still went thorugh the pregnancy. Even if she had the choice to opt out, she did not, clinging to her belief and principle. I know that there are many pro-life activists around but to have something like this happen to you is altogether a different story. Can we, in all honesty, say that we are ready to bear a special-need baby and take care of her for all our life? Sarah Palin stood up and stood firm. That alone is worthy of admiration and respect.

Palin is like most of us -- a mom with a family that is as normal as it gets. She may not have graduated from a top-rated university, did not have an outstanding scholastic record, or have exemplary political background, but she is comes with a true heart, no pretense, and no excuse. Sarah Palin is not part of the Washington elite but she is the real deal.