Barbara Ellington 
(left-right) Dr, John Beck with his wife, Dr. Martha Beck, and their son Adam. The Becks also have two daughters.
"And this our life, exempt from public haunt,
Finds tongues in trees, books in running brooks,
Sermons in stones, and good in everything."
'As You Like It' Act II, Scene I
DR. Martha Beck, author of 'Expecting Adam', uses the above quotation to summarise her experiences as the mother of 12-year-old Adam, who has Down's Syndrome. Flair interviewed the remarkably perceptive woman during her visit to the island last week. Dr. Beck, who had the local launch of her book while here, was the guest of Special Olympics Jamaica's dinner/dance on July 1.
Dr. Beck's book, 'Expecting Adam' is the true story of her courageous decision to carry to full term, her baby Adam, even after he was diagnosed with Down's Syndrome (see review in Flair June 26). In retrospect, the painful experience of difficult pregnancy is not something she would gladly repeat, but in Dr. Beck's words, "Adam is never a burden, I worry about him no more than my two daughters and I'm thrilled with anything he does."
Admittedly, Dr. Beck was very ambivalent during pregnancy. "I pushed my feelings in two different compartments, but my love for him bridged the gap between them. Now, when I meet other parents with Down's Syndrome children, I realise how easy I have things. I absolutely believe in miracles."
Dr. Beck is concerned about the number of children with Down's Syndrome who are placed in homes and are left to become underdeveloped and depressed. But Adam loves school, he's a member of the student council, attends speech therapy and, although he has problems speaking clearly, loves to push himself.
She has garnered a wealth of information about the condition and concludes, "it takes about a day to get to know Adam, he has a great personality and is so laid back, you soon realise he's just like us but slightly better. Through him I have learnt to be a better mother to my girls," she said. "And, I encourage all three children to help themselves."
At first sight, Adam, who accompanied his mother to Jamaica, does not appear abnormal; when we met, he was feeling the after-effects of acute sunburn having gone snorkelling all day. Noting his shy response to greeting a stranger, Dr. Beck said he'd be fine once he got to know me and within 30 minutes, he shook hands, smiled and said good-bye. Both John (her husband) and Martha treat Adam like a normal child; he is expected to do his chores, and he does.
Having gone from being a Mormon to an atheist, Dr. Beck's scientific belief structure has been seriously challenged since Adam came into her life. Explaining how she still occasionally feels the presence of the "beings" that sustained her throughout her pregnancy, she said there's now a gradual pull to the Eastern religion, Taoism.
Dr. Beck explains, "I was in denial for a while but with each miracle, that changed. I now believe there's a strong, benevolent conscious force through which I can achieve peace."
'Expecting Adam' has changed her life tremendously. "It's been a wonderful experience, I have never been the focus of so much attention," she said. Ironically, the book is now part of the required reading for a Harvard University course where she encountered so many negative responses to her pregnancy.
Disclosing that her best teacher at Harvard was Professor Orlando Patterson, Dr. Beck said, "I did not write the book for people with mental retardation but for those at Harvard who are so afraid to fall short." The film rights for the book have been bought by renowned feminist, Gloria Steinem but Tim Shriver, a Special Olympics advocate, is making attempts to acquire it from her.
The first of a three-book deal, 'Your Own North Star', will be published next March. And Dr. Beck who uses her passion, skiing, for relaxation, is a contributing editor to Mademoiselle, Redbook and Real Simple magazines. She also writes for the New York Times and Reader's Digest.
To Jamaican parents of children with Down's Syndrome, she says, "Congratulations, you are part of a special select group who have terrible experiences, but can open your heart to so much love. Cherish it, be unashamed of the public, these children can teach you more than any Harvard professor. Mine taught me to be human and happy."
