Some people get it.

Y is sick. She's been sick all weekend. It's strep. I feel bad for her because she's just miserable. And the antibiotics are taking forever to kick in. J has been so thoughtful and has told her several times he hopes she feels better soon. He worries so much when either of us are sick. Y moreso because of how close they are.



This reminds me of something that happened last week that I wanted to write about. I'm late in getting to it but better late than never.

Last Monday I got my taxes done. While talking with the woman doing them for me we got on the subject of our kids. The fact that J is autistic came into the conversation. I was prepared to get an "Oh, I'm so sorry," comment and then explain that there's nothing to be sorry about. I didn't get that at all. Instead what I got was a women who engaged me in a friendly and genuine conversation about autism. She wasn't talking to me about it out of morbid curiosity or pity. She genuinely wanted to know what it was like for me raising an autistic son.

She wondered if he'd be living with me all of his life or possibly in a home. I told her he's what would be considered high-functioning enough that I have no doubt someday he'll be married with a family and have a fulfilling career as a zookeeper or curator of his own zoo.

The woman gave me the biggest smile I have ever seen anybody give me whenever I've discussed J's autism.

She thought everything I told her was great and she wished him the best of luck.

We then talked more about how he's doing in school, how much he's progressed over the years on his own without a lick of biomed. Yes, he's been in therapy for years and he's on medication and he has wonderful support from home, school and doctors, but the progress he's made can be contributed to his efforts.

The woman thought it was great to know J has done so well over the years.

I could tell by her tone and the way we talked that she understood where I was coming from with J. She never once took pity on me or pulled the sympathy card. She asked if it was hard. I told her sometimes yes, but everything I get from J makes it so well worth it. I told her how he's taught me patience and understanding and how the world isn't always what we see it as.

She told me J sounds like a great kid. I told her he was.