It was going to be a special day with our granddaughter. As a fifth grader, she invited us to attend our final Grandparents Day at her Christian school. She becomes a “middle schooler” next year. I guess after fifth grade most kids don’t particularly want their grandparents to show up. Unless they bring treat money.
She fell ill the night before the special event. We had planned to take her to lunch after the program. Now that opportunity was gone as well. She was NOT happy. Tears fell. (We would eventually make the lunch happen.)
Despite our granddaughter's absence, “Nana" and I decided to attend. Rhonda is a substitute teacher at the school and wanted to be there to support the students. At the program we were seated across a table from another set of “grandies.” I asked them which of the many children present did they come to support. They pointed to a bald fourth grader.
It’s quite rare to see that among children. I thought it prudent not to ask about his situation, even though I feared it might be from cancer treatment. Rhonda knows a lot of the kids, including this boy. His baldness results from alopecia—a fairly rare condition.
Sound familiar? It’s the same medical condition that has affected the wife of actor Will Smith. She has chosen to shave her head since alopecia causes significant hair loss.
According to the Mayo Clinic, people with alopecia typically lose 50 to 100 hairs a day. Losing hair can be related to one or more of the following factors:
- Family history (heredity)
- Hormonal changes and medical conditions
- Medications and supplements
- Radiation therapy to the head
- A very stressful event
- Hairstyles and treatments
In our world today, people are bald for a variety of reasons. Some choose the look. Others don’t. Some men seem to look better bald. But most women don’t go that route. Cancer treatments often reduce the choice on this.
No one (and I mean no one) attending this year’s Academy Awards would have expected comedian Chris Rock to poke fun at Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair loss condition. Least of all Will Smith. Generally speaking it is NEVER a good idea to make fun of a man’s wife.
As the world knows, Smith lost it. He stepped up onto the stage and slapped Rock pretty hard across the face. Some thought it was a gimmick. It wasn’t.
Almost immediately, a few fellow actors came up to Smith to help him get control of his emotions. One of those was Denzel Washington. The other two were Tyler Perry and Bradley Cooper. The emotional Smith was seen wiping away tears.
Much criticism followed from the Academy and anyone with a media voice. Smith finally apologized, after it was suggested that the Oscar he received that night be taken away. It was quite a wake up call. Most recently, Will Smith announced that he has resigned from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences.
I remember seeing Don Rickles perform at a Reno hotel showplace. He found pleasure and fame by insulting just about anyone. But I don’t recall him verbally abusing those with any form of disability, deformity, or the like.
Doing so puts you at risk. Take for example the bald prophet Elisha. A group of youths followed him mockingly saying, “Go on up, you baldhead!” Elisha cursed them in the name of Yahweh after which two female bears came out of the forest and tore up forty-two of the boys. (See 2 Kings 2:23-25)
There could be varying interpretations as to why Elisha reacted so harshly. But even a casual Bible reader should come away with a lesson: Don’t do that! Don’t mock people.
In a bizarre twist, a statement was purportedly released by Chris Rock admitting his error and apologizing to the Smith family. Apparently, Chris did not write that statement after all. Too bad.
All this made me wonder how much poor treatment that fourth grade boy at the school will have to endure in life. His current classmates are supportive.
Hopefully, he’ll grow to see through the pettiness of others.
That’s Forward Thinking. Click on the link to the right to connect via Facebook.
You can find a number of YouTube episodes and podcasts of Mark’s program, Moving People Forward at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCosyuBzdSh1mXIas_kGY2Aw?
For more information on the Elfstrand Group, please visit www.elfstrandgroup.com
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