Search Results for: blog let it be allowing my autistic son to affect the world

The Magic of Storytelling

Once upon a time, before Mario Party, Zelda, and World of Warcraft, before Nintendo DS Lights, Wii, Sony Playstations, and video I-pods, and even before television and radio, there lived storytellers. Now, storytellers were an interesting breed of human beings, who looked pretty much like everybody else, except for a certain mysterious sparkle in their eyes. People, especially children, would eagerly gather around to hear their tales of enchantment, misfortune, romance, adventure, and luck. The storyteller was animated. The storyteller was passionate. She made her voice dance with magic and her face glow with expression. She took every listener along … Continue reading →

One Word That Can Ease Your Mind

I remember when my son was a toddler and I was imprisoned by his tantrums. It was difficult, if not impossible, to go anywhere. On one occasion he screamed so loud and violently that I took him by the hand, abandoned our shopping cart, and went home in tears. I was so troubled by the stares and scowls of onlookers. And I remember the grief I felt initially when I learned my child would be different from other kids. Well, I was reading a magazine article the other day and had a moment of enlightenment. (They don’t come often, so … Continue reading →

The SECRET: Do We Attract Hardships With Our Negativity?

Certainly by now most of you have heard of the best-selling book The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, which has been applauded on talk shows like Oprah, and is being praised by businesses, foundations, and societies all over the country. But in case you’re one of the few who has missed out, let me briefly enlighten you. The “secret” is the law of attraction, and the idea that we attract into our lives what we think about most. The book uses this premise to empower us, stating that we can have whatever we want, if we will only envision ourselves as … Continue reading →

The Pain of Letting Go

I’ve decided that the primary task of motherhood is letting go. It starts with the physical pain of letting go of a tiny human being who has become part of our body for many months. This child has moved within us, been nourished from the vessels inside us, and has grown and developed as part of us. Despite this powerful physical connection, we must set this child free. This tiny son or daughter needs to become independent to survive. The first letting go is birth. It always involves pain. The recovery is difficult. Even the adopted child starts his life’s … Continue reading →

My Favorite Blog

I had an interesting moment of reflection after talking to my son last night. It was a simple thing, really, but it struck me. Kyle, who just turned fourteen, was playing his vintage “Super Nintendo” System (remember those?) and I stopped to watch him for a while. He has quite a large collection of games, and always wants new ones for his birthday and Christmas. (I have to buy them from special game stores or order them from e-bay.) After several minutes of watching him play, I asked, “Kyle, which of all these games is your favorite?” He thought for … Continue reading →

Grateful for the Little Things

When we parent children with special needs, we must learn to be grateful for the little things. Sometimes we have to step back from the bigger, more overwhelming picture, and celebrate the smaller successes. Even when progress isn’t being made as quickly as we’d like, there are a whole lot of things in our lives that bring us comfort and peace. We only need to remember and reflect. Try to think of ten “things” (not concepts) you’re thankful for—ten objects or sounds you interact with in your environment. Here are some I thought of: I am grateful… …for the sound … Continue reading →