As our children grow and become young adults, then parents themselves, there are moments of beauty that surface. My Shane was always an inquisitive sort. He loved to tear things down and see how they worked. I remember helping him carry a piece of equipment down to the basement, when he was about 11 years old, and he knew enough to exhaust it outside and none of us died!
He would have been medicated had I let those who felt he was a challenge. He had one teacher who was so kind with him and negotiated with him when it was time for him to talk and when it was time for her to talk. She allowed him to be who he was and he blossomed under her teaching.
He now has babies and young adults in his own life. He has the chance now to care for the budding growth of little minds. Just today he wrote me this note:
There was a day in history I’ll never forget. It set me on a path of discovery that I think drove me to become better and more observant. We were in the sewing machine (this was what we called out little car) . There was a MADD ribbon on your antenna that was located just above the drivers door. The ribbon was poking in the inside of the door. I asked “mum is the ribbon stuck in your door or is it stuck in the window..?”
You said “idk honey why?”
I said ” ’cause if it’s in your door we’re safe. But if it’s stuck in the window you will rip the antenna off the roof when you open your door” 😂
Your reaction was great. Praised me for my good observation saying “I never would have thought of that”and you played along. You slowed down and said “let’s check”
Opened your door.
Turns out it was only stuck in the door. It was like a science experiment to me lol.
I realized that day I have a good eye for certain things. I should embrace those things and build off them. Now I am a good diagnostician and have a keen eye for future problems. I look ahead more and more as I age.
It warmed my heart how something I did helped him to believe in himself. We never know when we influence another! Remember that, and hopefully it will not be 30 years later before you learn the beauty of your attention!
#breakingstibah 