I confess to being rather melancholy today, sparked, by a jarring article, by Rory Andrews, which had come up on my newsfeed.
It was about a small roadside plot of land, that was used between 1906 and 1959 as a burial ground for the bodies of unclaimed patients, and located adjacent to a former Nova Scotia mental institution.
Today, it is known as the Field of Peace, where some 60 unmarked graves share a single stone of remembrance, and there should be little doubt that the developmentally delayed are among those numbered.
While benches dot the little field, creating inclusive spaces, and encouraging quiet contemplation, we remember the suffering that innocent people endured, all because medicine could not fix them. 
By throwing open the shutters, and casting light onto the dark parts of our past, we can commit to being the difference the future requires.
And by making inclusive what used to be closed, we open our hearts to a more kinder consideration.
So it is our duty to remember the history of the developmentally delayed for them, and commit to retelling it as often as we can, to as many people as will listen.
Though we have done well reshaping our social attitudes toward the marginalized, we must remember it was only some 40 odd years ago, when we were still being advised to institutionalize the most vulnerable members of our families.
It was for their good, or so we were told.
And we believed them.
As a result developmentally delayed people have the tragic history of being labeled as deviant, and institutionalized for our safety, and for theirs as well,
or so we were told.
And we kept them institutionalized, imposing eugenics upon a number of the fertile ones, while lobotomizing some, we euthanized others; all with a belief toward improving the genetic configuration of the general population.
Yet a mere 40 years later we can now envision a transforming society where those living with intellectual challenges fill viable roles, taking their rightful place as gentle purveyors of peace, while contributing to a more inclusive society.
By: Shonna Kurkilahti
For those interested in reading Rory Andrews article it is called the Bittersweet Tale of Sydney’s Field of Peace.
The forth point of our Mission Statement is to foster inclusion into the greater community. Stop by regularly and help us spread the message of inclusion.
It is such a sad history. Let’s not forget that they actually paid people for committing patients! As much as we have come ahead with our views and understanding, there is still such a long way to go. My heart finds happiness in stories of businesses that employ only Down’s syndrome staff, in the high school student that stands up against a small minded community, or an organization such as yours. My hope is that soon, the stories of acceptance and open heartedness is so commonplace it is no longer “newsworthy”. It is just normal, daily life in the world. ❤️