Year of the Wolf: Who Learned More?

It's Saturday morning. Sunny, peaceful; my favorite time of day because no one else is awake and I am not tired. Not yet, anyway.

I am sitting in the room that used to be my son's one year after a flurry of events resulted in his departure for CHYC in Utah. Ironic that as I ponder our lives in retrospect, I am curiously comfortable with he there, me here and we both are fine. In a still-at-school-probably-for-a-while kind of fine.

While Mother's Day is tomorrow and deserves its own post, I would, I think, be remiss not to recognize the things I have learned about myself, my son, the world in general, and this disorder called Asperger's that seems to follow us around no matter where we go. And, of course, since this blog is titled "She is Learning", I suppose I'd better list something educational that might be of assistance to someone else.

MOTHER-LIST...

I now know that Asperger Syndrome is neither his fault nor mine. It simply is.

My son is an engaging, funny, but kind of strange kid. So is half the population of this planet. Get over it, people.

I have learned that people are much more tolerant of someone who looks different on the outside than of those who act different from the inside.

My husband is a saint.

My youngest son will, in all probability, be responsible for his older brother someday.

I know that the world, despite Jenny McCarthy, Larry King, and all the other famous people who promote Autism awareness, still doesn't get it most of the time.

I learned that I am blessedly human, and cannot, should not, and will not be able to fix everything with respect to my children. So there.

Autism does not define our children, ourselves, or our marriages. Each is separate, beautiful, and essential to the whole package deal.

Asperger Syndrome = Grace.

For other mothers who may be facing their own Autism giants; a big whoop-whoop to you. I know what you do, why you do it, and what it is costing you. Even if you can't see it yet.

But we will all be okay. God willing, even our kids.