For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for October 24, 2020

This helps puts things in perspective. For all the wailing and gnashing of teeth, and the supposed “cruelty” of concerned parents, the appliance “crisis” is light years removed from the truly bad things that could happen to Elizabeth.

thomething worth pondering about

MISS (for howtheduck) Edwards knows Liz is wearing the retainer as a deterrent for thumb sucking. She was gentle and told her she doesn’t need to include that part. Miss Edwards, I know what Liz said – she is just a little kid, ya know. The world revolves around her. I know she carried you in her heart into her adulthood.

To remind you that you are alive, Elizabeth.

It’s not what happens to you, it’s how you handle them.

Young girls do tend to be quite self centered.

The world does not revolve around you

I’m a bit confused as to why Elizabeth needs to wear the appliance during the day. She’s not thumbsucking in class, is she? If her thumbsucking was in fact distorting her teeth growth, then the daytime appliance is in fact an improvement on braces and is there to straighten her teeth. So, that’s all she needs to say.

At least she can walk-typical self-centered.

Lynn’s Comments:

Miss Edwards’ character gave me the opportunity to talk to and seek out the advice of people who used a wheelchair. It was a wonderful education!

Kids! It’s always only about THEM. :P

So much for the Boston Original T-shirt.

According to the Wikipedia article on the strip, there have been conflicting story arcs about why Miss Edwards was confined to a wheelchair. One strip had her paraplegic from birth, another was that she suffered a spinal cord injury as a teenager due a motorcycle accident.

Well, mostly because when you’re a teenager, everything happens to you because the world revolves around you. You are special. You are a snow flake. …lol

An electric wheelchair for the teacher would be nice. We can take up a collection.

Everyone thinks the world hates them and that THEY are the only one with issues. Miss Edwards tried to show her that EVERYONE has problems. It is how you deal with them that matter. Miss Edwards makes the best of her disability and does not let it hold her back. I once had an intestinal infection that put me in the hospital. I was complaining about it to the nurses. One older nurse come over and said “Come with me”. She took me to pediatrics. She said “This boy has cancer. That girl had a lung transplant. That boy needs brain surgery. Now do you think you have it bad?” She was right. No matter how bad you think have it, someone else has it worse. Be glad you have it as good as you do.

Life isn’t fair, Lizard, and anybody who say differently is either lying, trying to sell something or both.

“On a special Degrassi Jr. High……”

I know Lynn’s trying to make a point, but the instant you realize you’re being lectured to instead of reading a story, the power drains away completely.

Bad things happen to all people. BUT this did not have to happen to Elizabeth! Her parents forced this on her without trying other ways to stop a bad habit. I would never do that to someone I love.

Elizabeth and the other kids sure ain’t the Greatest Generation!

Elizabeth really look at your teacher, now say all about you.

The case of "Knowledge Is Power " doesn’t work all the time

Look down and to your left, Liz. Seems like you got a pretty good deal.

‘Life is suffering. It is hard. The world is cursed. But still, you find reasons to keep living.’

It seems like she could wear it just at night, since that looks like when she is wanting to suck her thumb, maybe it helps her fall asleep. I don’t know anything about these appliances, but it makes me wonder why she has to wear it all the time or close to it.

Elizabeth being self-absorbed and totally unaware.

Miss Edwards’ new boyfriend: Lt. Dan!

Yep… that’s Elizabeth…. “me me me me me”…

Lt. Dan, you got new legs!