ability or disability

Written by Cindy Baurer

Walking down the sidewalk

what is it that we see…?

The ghosts and goblins of everyday

they are surrounding me.

Weed eaters and leaf blowers

monsters of noise ...

How can you not understand

the pain and terrifying  agnoy,

of lawn mowers and sounds

 I can not comprehend….

and then…

butterflies and dragonflies

their flights are hypnotic for me

the flutter of the hummingbird wings

and the waves upon the sea.

The beauty of each minute is 

unfolding for you…. and also for me…

so join me in this 4 D world ..

and see what we can see!

Jamie's not looking at me…I can't believe he is paying attention…how pathetically unobservant I am ….to not notice, that he notices everything….his ability…my disability…this is autism...

We are walking…."because of his ability"…..

and suddenly he is running…fast! ….and I can't keep up…I'm worried, he's out of control…."because of his disability"…this is autism…running…running…running!

I reach him and enfold him in my arms…we are laughing and rolling together in the grass…"because of his ability"…this is autism…we are alive as our senses burst with pleasure in the touching of each other and the feel and smells of the earth and air embracing us….this is autism…We are ALIVE!….

Like all parents and grandparents, we knew he was special the moment he was born.   All those hospital tests reasurred us that he had "normal" eyesight, hearing, and refluxes….little did we know he posesses the sixth sense of a sixth sense.   The sixth sense in my definition is the sense of time…(slowing it down) the sense of taking time to go a level deeper or higher with each sense….noise, smell, taste, texture, sight, touch…this is autism….shall we join ?….shall we learn?   shall we experience this sixth sense…this is the gift of autism…a disability?…or an ability to magninify and intensify our lives?….this is autism…the ability for more….