One of those “R” words never left. It stayed behind where my buddy’s doctor used it to clinically describe the progress of his beautiful little girl. The difference is, in that situation and many like it the word is not used pejoratively: it’s just a term.

They only added the hate back in. Because they’re hateful.

My buddy is an incredibly nice, generous and positive guy, and he loves his little girl fiercely. I’m glad they will not be affected by the hated misuse of that word any more than the ocean was affected by the Titanic.