Today I was walking....walking laps around the track. That's one good thing about being unemployed....I have time to exercise aka walk! I don't really enjoy walking around the track alone, because it's boring. But still I walk. I was walking along at a fast steady pace, and I could hear someone coming up beside me in the "running" lane. As he approached, I could hear him talking in a loud whisper. At first I thought he might be talking to someone, but as he passed; I knew he wasn't. Well that's not completely true...he was talking to someone...he was talking to himself. I do it ALL THE TIME! When he ran past me whispering, I immediately understood. I recognized this young man from church (we will call him J), and I knew that he had autism. I also knew that he was doing something my boy does all the time....talking himself into or out of something. Cal has learned to cope with many things by talking himself through it. Each time J ran by, I could hear him whispering. And then the best thing happened....the thing that made my boring walking the greatest part of my day. I was approaching the area where you get off the track if you need to rest or are finished. As I approached that area, I saw some folks sitting down taking a break; and I could hear J coming up on my left side....talking to himself. As he got closer to me, his talking got more enthusiastic. Then....he passed me and as he approached the exit area of the track, he threw his arms in the air and began pumping his fists in victory. The folks who were taking a break began to applaud for him, and J never stopped running....he ran down off the track and down the stairs. I would imagine he ran all the way to his car, and me....I grinned from ear to ear; and I felt joy in my heart for J!
I did an impromptu photo shoot yesterday with my kids in the bluebonnets for advertising. At one point, I asked Addi to take a picture of me and Cal. She was able to capture this image, and I ADORE IT! I adore the emotion she captured.....it's real and pure and the feeling of joy in our hearts!
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