Special Olympics

I experienced a very emotional rush of joy when I watched my little Westley compete in the Special Olympics last Friday. It was very cold and I was grateful that Benjamin was asleep and cozy in his carseat stroller. Listening to the music played during the parade of athletes brought out deep feelings that I hadn’t realized were so sensitive. I love Westley. I’ve always known he was a little different and certainly special. When I first began to digest the reality that he’s autistic, I went through a mourning process. I erased all my preconceived notions about who West is and would become. I began to let Westley write his future and took on a supportive role. When he shows interest, I support. When he shows he’s challenged, I support. When he gets too comfortable, I make it a little uncomfortable to stretch his growth. He’s responded remarkably to therapy and intervention. His autism is not a severe case. He’s a very high functioning autistic. With interventions and therapy, he’ll have a future that looks much like that of my other children. I believe he’ll not let anything stop him from reaching his goals. I enjoy his personality and ideas. He has an amazing sense of humor and is usually a very happy child. Watching him take part in Special Olympics was a beautiful experience for me. He wasn’t thrilled to be there. He was cold and tired, but he did everything he was asked to do. He ran in the 100m dash, threw a softball and ran in a relay race. He finished everything with style. I was so very proud to be there and cheer him on. Laura joined me from pre-school half way through the competitions and we snuggled together under a blanket. All in all, it was a great experience. It renewed my hope and conviction to help Westley have a happy and productive life. I’m so grateful there are programs like Special Olympics to make kids feel good about themselves.