The "R" Word

So I am diving into a post that I have been thinking about and losing sleep over for a long time now. My intentions are not to jump on my high horse and preach about things even foreign to me. My intentions are to bring awareness to those around me who love me and my family and to start making the changes in our small corner of the world that my daughter was sent here to make. The truth is...the word "retarded" is offensive to many people with special needs. I'm not gonna lie...I have used this word as slang before and never saw too much harm in it. However, things are different now and I am asking if we could all try a little harder to be sensitive to those around us. What if we all taught our kids who then could teach their kids who could teach their friends...what a difference we could make. I am so grateful to live in a community with such loving people who are supportive and encouraging. Lets spread the word....but not the "R" word. :)