Pastoral Relationship with People with Intellectual ... - Theses

125This identity sees him bearing a heavy burden upon his shoulders. Itweighs him down, it reduces his physical aspect, it limits the fluidity of hismovement, it causes him to look downwards in suffering endurance rather thanupwards to far horizons. Life is for the present moment.I see others here who bear similar burdens, whose marks, aspect andbehaviours are similarly diminished. They too look down. They too are sustainedfor the day by those who preserve the body, but not so much the soul.I observe the location where these Slaves are to be found. It is a bounded,restricted place. It is a place of limited resources and activity. It is a place whereone is enabled for the next day, but where greater visions are hard to attain. Iobserve those for whom this place is their world, who have little conception of aworld beyond. This place represents a norm. This place represents reality.I understand this place as a place of protection, where both the Slavesand I are being protected from each other. I don’t really understand why. Butwhat I see as a result of this shared protection is a defined distance betweenmyself and the Slaves. It seems that we are both located where we best belong. Itseems we are both safer with a distance in between.I look to myself. I bear no such burden. My norms seem much lessrestrictive. Compared to these others I feel no great weight upon my shoulderslimiting my aspect or activity. I am able to move where I will, relativelyunencumbered, unmarked and free. I can look up to those far horizons and set acourse towards them.Not so the Slave.