Waiting In Line
Happy New Year everyone…let’s get to work
I’m sitting here watching some NCAA football, the fire is on, the dog is asleep at my feet, a nice glass of vino within arms distance…perfect scenario to blog!
I was going through the family computer and cleaning out files and documents that we don’t need. My wife has a “William” folder with all sorts of documentation and notes and all that fun stuff.
In the file are notes from our 18-month legal battle with our insurance company, notes about what William was doing at certain ages, much of the stuff she used to write our book “Look At My Eyes”
I opened one document that described William at 2 years and 7 months of age–just before he was officially diagnosed with autism and our lives continued to change.
One entry said “has serious issues with patience. Won’t stand in line, refuses to wait–flips out if he can’t have it now!”
So today as my wife was sick in bed with flu-like symptoms and the kids were getting cabin fever, I took them to the Children’s Museum (a HUGE staple in our weekend routine all year ’round)
They have amazing exhibits and the kids love to go there. As with many families on the spectrum, we have our routine. We get our tickets, we go to the gift shop, we say “hello” to Ms. Lisa, we take off our shoes and go down the Dyno-slide, then we go and do other things…but it always happens like that.
As William and his sister were going up-and-down on the slide I realized that William was very patiently waiting in line for his turn.
Kinda made me chuckle.
Another exhibit they love is some spinning mechanism–I don’t know what it is, you step on it, hold on and it spins you and you get all dizzy–kids love that stuff you know.
As usual, there was a line. Immediately William said (in his broken-but getting better-communication skills)…”not your turn, wait in line…not your turn, wait in line…not your turn, wait in line”
And that’s what he did. Over and over and over, he waited in line, was patient and calm, took his turn, flapped a bit, got back in line
“Wait in line…it’s not your turn.”
So ironic that I found the report of almost 4+ years ago where my son was not willing or able to stand in line, be patient, wait for it…and here we are…not saying he’s destined for greatness–but HAVE HOPE PEOPLE…every year that passes we notice successes (sometimes big, sometimes small) and hurdles that he clears.
Way to go my son! I am proud of you for learning to stand in line, wait your turn, be patient…
now you just need to teach your old man that patience thing…Happy New Years
To read more blogs from Seth and TheFowler4Group, check out their Website (www.lookatmyeyes.com) and while you’re there, buy a copy of their book, “Look At My Eyes”. Or find them on YouTube. To contact TheFowler4 Group
That was very beautiful and inspiring.