Last Sunday my nephew who has autism came to church with me. We went to go out the car, when low and behold he escape from me and went across the street to play in someones backyard. During Sacrament Meeting he escaped me and his dad and ran around the choir seats. He came and ran towards me; before he could get a way from me, I caught him. He made more noise then usual. His dad took him home early. He was on his way for a melt down.
He usually doesn't act like this. Usually he is more calm. What happened? Why was he acting like this? Why can't he behave like *other* children? The answer to all of the questions is; my nephew has autism.
He likes a schedule, he likes what is normal to him. When he is out of his norm. that is when he acts the way he did last Sunday.
People still say: "why he doesn't look like he has autism"
What does autism supposed to look like?
So now my mom and I got on a discussion. One thing I told her was that I believe in "strengths and weaknesses." Ponder about this for one moment. You are not going to ask a musician to perform brain surgery. The strength of a musician is to perform music.
Special needs have some amazing strengths. One strength is to except people, and love them without restraint or judgment. To love without restraint or judgment, is the Pure Love Of Christ. That is an amazing strength indeed.
Within our discussion, she told me something different. The autism spectrum is large, very large. So her thought was ( note, this is just thinking ) that in some way we are all on the spectrum. Everyday the autism spectrum is getting larger and larger. Everyday people are limited in strengths. Not everyone is a doctor, musician, writer, painter, carpenter, educator, and etc; be we appreciate others talents and strengths. We can go to them ask them for their help in their expertise in their field.
While I was working with special needs, is that the first thing that I have notice is that special needs are so ready to accept people. They don't care who you are, or where you come from. They just love you, you are their instant friend. If anything that is one thing that all special needs can teach us. How to love people, and in that same instant be a friend to all.
Cheers Everyone!
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