I snapped this pic during my son’s recent home visit. He was so happy to be home. Just a day ago he was in the ER after what was clearly a hard fall in the shower. We face-timed that afternoon from his group home. Five staples on the back of his head and several hours later, he looked and acted surprisingly well.
How confusing, scary and traumatic this must have been for him, not understanding what was happening, not being able to speak. For me it was a flood of different emotions: helplessness, not able to be there, not able to protect him. My heart sank and my stomach twisted in knots. Autism complicates everything.
It took him a few minutes, but then that subtle half smile appeared on his face, signaling he knew it was me. It was my face talking to him in that tiny phone. When I picked him up the next morning he couldn’t have been happier. This visit was truly joyful for him. A place to be pampered, a place of respite, a place to heal. Not all visits are like this, not all are easy, for him or for me. So, when moments like this come along, you’ve got to grab it, enjoy it and snap a pic if you can. Capture the heartfelt joy of a moment in time. Truly all we have is now.
Lesson learned: be in the moment.
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