Reflection
Brushed Silver & Aquamarine Brooch ~ Ariane Zurcher Jewelry
Sometimes what’s reflected is easier to see than the thing being reflected. I wrote about this and the nature of progress on my other blog, Emma’s Hope Book the other day.
EHB is the blog where I write about being a parent and autism and how my daughter has helped me see the world differently. It’s ironic that her neurology, the thing so many believe to be a massive deficit – autism – has shown me a world far more beautiful than I ever dreamed or believed possible.
Reflection is like that sometimes. We see things in a reflection that we might have missed were we to look directly. Art and inspiration are like that too.
I took this photograph in Central Park this July 4th. Had you asked me what the weather was like I would have told you – clear blue skies and hot, hot, hot.
“Hot town, summer in the city
Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty
Been down, isn’t it a pity
Doesn’t seem to be a shadow in the city”
Lyrics: Lovin Spoonful
Yet, I would have been wrong.
“It’s ironic that her neurology, the thing so many believe to be a massive deficit – autism – has shown me a world far more beautiful than I ever dreamed or believed possible.” I have said these same words. Back when my son was first diagnosed I began scouring the internet & I would read people saying similar things, but all I felt was angry, blindsided, scared, & in a panic! I didn’t want to “accept” this Dx. I wasn’t going to accept it! One day my son wanted something-I knew that much, but he couldn’t tell me what & I couldn’t work my usual magic to figure it out. Finally, I said (loudly) “I don’t know what you want! What do you want?” and he replied…”Happy mommy” It stopped me dead in my tracks. I had never heard him say anything like that. He was not saying much of anything at all at the time. I thought…he’s smarter than me. And I have never doubted that for one moment since. I stopped trying to change him & began changing myself. He needed to see, hear, and know love & happiness not fear and panic. Thank you Ariane. I think you, your family, and your story is giving me the strength I need to do as you say-Feel Everything And Remain! PS-You can tell Emma my son likes jewelry too! He loves all things reflective-rain, mirrors, windows, diamonds, shiny is good 🙂
Oh how I love reading this. You’ve just described my husband and my thinking so perfectly. That moment of realization, that beautiful moment when we finally understood!! This is what I wish for all parents. Everything changes as a result and how incredible is that?
It is beyond incredible. It’s been the biggest gift of my life. I am an elementary teacher with lots of degrees and experience and before he was born I had so many plans of all that I was going to teach HIM! Boy, God is cracking up at my “plans”. As it turns out my son has TAUGHT ME the greatest lesson in life and how grateful I am to him. Now I am one of those people on the internet who can truly say “how lucky I am”.