Dear John

I should be stitching this weekend.  Our Shop Hop is just six weeks away and I should be quilting every free minute I find... As I began diligently stitching my "mystery quilt" I put in the movie "Dear John" with the intent of stitching while listening abstractedly....then the movie sucks me in and touches my heart.  http://www.dearjohn-movie.com/

The love story is a tear-jerker but that isn't what gets me.  It was the relationship between the son and father.  My youngest son has "Asperger's Syndrome," an autistic spectrum disorder with symptoms similar to those portrayed by the father in this film.  As I watched the movie, the wonderful performance of Richard Jenkins tugged on my memories of my son as he learned the basic skills of eye contact, empathy, and peer interaction. These skills are an integral part of our daily social interactions, but for persons with autism spectrum disorders, they are mountains - often insurmountable.  To imagine a human being was able to overcome these disabilities and raise a son into adulthood amazed me and made me think of the many possible roads this story could have taken.   I thank the Lord daily for the angels he has sent me.  My son was fixated on chinchilla's instead of coins - did you know chinchillas need daily dust baths?  Jolene Leavitt, my son's first grade teacher who helped us through his diagnosis and his early interaction with his peers, was an angel sent to watch over our son and help him be an accepted member of his class.  Robyn Eskridge who continued to help our son adjust and to help his classmates understand and accept his challenges.   Each year has brought both challenges and blessings in the guise of teachers, principals, counselors, psychiatrists and loving sons. 

http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/tc/aspergers-syndrome-symptoms
Did I get any quilting done?  Not a bit, but my eyes are swollen with tears of sorrow and joy, my heart is lifted, and I am once again reminded of the kindness and generosity of those around me.