Took my youngest to our high school basketball game tonight. It's still just us two guys out and about until tomorrow. Yesterday was a fast trip to the store to replace his CD player in his room. I picked him up a little early from school then went to exercise. He was very much ready to go at the time we discussed. Our first step was to buy our dinner at the game. We ate quite well on french fries and the fixings. Then we sat down to watch some of two games before returning home. I had a blast hanging out with him. We ended up sitting with some of my daughter's friends cheering for our team. They all said hi to him when we took our seats. I think it took him by surprise a little. My youngest does tend to keep to himself a tad when in public. Dad was very pleased to watch him interact as much as he did. Now there is another memory for me to hold on to in the future.

Society refers to children with disabilities as special needs children. Not everyone gets to understand how they operate. Autism places my son in that distinct category. He goes to school with a room full of kids who have varied issues to live with. All of those kids are very special to their families. A few of the schoolmates display very few signs of being different. Some others do live in worlds not of their own making. They are confined to wheelchairs or to the mental limits of their condition. Special really doesn't go far enough to define each one of these people. They are amazing way beyond being unique. You cannot spend any amount of time with them without gaining courage for your own situations. My heart does feel the sadness of wishing they could experience being normal. Admiration would actually be a more common emotion for who they are. These kids probably don't know their limits. They also may not realize the joy they bring to others.

Spending time with my big guy tonight did make me wonder how he would be if normal by our standards. The thought crosses my mind on occasion. Seems like it is the human tendency especially for a dad. He talked to those people that he knows from being in our home. We cheered for our team as they outplayed the opponent. I draped my arm around him as we sat. We even made faces at one another from time to time. My son isn't special just because of his autism. He is special in God's eyes also. God knows he is and always will be to me.

Bro. Trey