The blatant blessings in my life compelled me to attempt to put into words how I am feeling tonight.
The last two years have been filled with anxiety and loss and the recipe for tearing a family apart. We have navigated Covid and so many family losses. It should have sent us all into depression and despair. Until recently, our oldest has been physically, and to a degree, emotionally far from us. There has been illness and injury. Death and losses that will mark us for a very long time.
Through it all, we have persevered. In fact, our youngest son has THRIVED.
This year, at school, he has transitioned almost entirely into regular education with only minor special education supports. He is self-managing his assignments, responsibilities, and needs with limited oversight by us. I only check his school online grade book from time to time. He only requests my assistance with homework once in awhile. Despite our hands off approach to the school year, he is maintaining As and Bs in all of his classes.
In addition, he was accepted into the culinary program at the local vocational school. His end goal is to become a baker in a small bakery or to eventually create his own custom desserts. To work toward that goal, he worked diligently to keep his grades where they needed to be to be accepted into the program. Now that he is there, he LOVES it. He often comes home and requests the materials and ingredients to duplicate the meals he is cooking at school. We then get treated to delicious meals that we don't have to cook. Woohoo!
Recently, our son was asked to join the Unified Bocce Ball team at school. This is our son's first official sport. He is so excited to find a sport that he can participate in. He loves that he is now part of a team. Watching him play is such a fun experience.
Our son was also asked to take part in the Pennsylvania Youth Leadership Network (PYLN). This organization teaches young adults with special needs to be leaders and advocates for themselves and others in their communities. He has enjoyed meeting with others who think and navigate life similarly to himself. I'm excited for him to take part in the board meetings and learn how to further develop his leadership skills. What a cool opportunity!
Our son also started taking piano lessons this summer from a local pianist. He loves music and enjoys the band at school but has long desired to learn to play the piano. Right before covid shut down the world, he had started with a gentleman further from our home. They really enjoyed each other but covid brought things to a screeching halt and lessons needed to wait. When we decided it was safe to start lessons again, we changed to someone closer to home. Our son misses his old instructor but his new teacher's structure and emphasis on process and correct technique is much better for our son and his needs. The growth he has shown in just six months is amazing.
Which brings me to tonight.
As I sat at home alone with a nasty cold, my son went to our church early Christmas Eve service and played Silent Night for the congregation. Further into the service, the pastor selected him to read a passage of Scripture for the service. Seems sweet but rather insignificant. Right? Cute. But what's the big deal?
Everything about tonight is monumental. Huge. Very significant.
Our son with fine motor issues, gross motor issues, and stuttering/speech issues played the piano and read aloud for a packed church service that was live streamed to a Facebook audience, without me present as a source of reassurance. If you haven't lived it, there aren't words to convey how tonight feels. It goes beyond joy. Beyond pride. Beyond relief.
It's hope. Hope for a future of independence. Hope for a future of self-reliance. Hope of infinite possibilities. Each small step conquered is a step toward that ultimate goal.
I know I've failed to fully express how this moment feels. My hope is that you can feel an ounce, a fraction, of what I'm trying to convey. My hope is that when you witness a young adult or adult with special needs meet small milestones and accomplishments, you remember reading this and convey love, joy, and support for that person and that family in that moment. Because in our world, those small moments are everything.
Thank you Lord for your blessings even through the storms.
