Syndicated columnist Cal Thomas lost his brother a few days ago. By the world’s standards, this is no big deal. You see, Marshall Steven Thomas had Down Syndrome, a condition that is almost a guaranteed in utero death sentence. But Marshall was born and Marshall lived.

In a moving tribute from his brother, we see the value of each and every life.

How does one measure whether a life was a success, or a failure?
Some would measure it by recognition, that is, how many knew the person’s name. For others, the measure of a successful life would be the amount of wealth accumulated, or possessions held. Still others would say a life was successful if the person made a major contribution to society — in medicine, sports, politics, or the arts.
By that standard my brother, Marshall Stephen Thomas, who died January 5, was a failure. If, however, your standard for a successful life is how that life positively touched others, then my brother’s life was a resounding success.
Shortly after he was born in 1950, Marshall was diagnosed with Down syndrome. Some in the medical community referred to the intellectually disabled as “retarded” back then…

Please Continue Reading>>>