Until the whole world hears..

Its World Autism Awareness Day.. and National Autism Awareness Month.. and I’m conflicted because it just feels like another day.. just another month in our Autism Awareness Year.

Some years I’m hyper aware of these recognitions. Sometimes I’m gung ho to do everything in my power to be a voice in the wilderness, crying out for awareness and change. Let’s take advantage of a day/month that nearly everyone is at least marginally aware of.

Some years I’m tired. Some years I’m wiped out from being very autism aware the previous 300+ days. Isn’t it more important to take opportunities throughout the year to educate? Isn’t it more important to live your life in a way that breaks down stereotypes and builds up supports and acceptance?

Truthfully its both. However, having the energy, sustained motivation and proper supports to take advantage of both is basically impossible. Yet in every way, in every day, we do all we can to make those around us more aware of the need for inclusion and acceptance. For us that always started in our own home. I’ll post more about our daughter in a future blog post but suffice to say that she has been a Godsend to us. We have worked hard to instill a sense of understanding, grace, mercy and acceptance of her older brother and his challenges. We have always been honest with her about his present struggles and victories as well as his future prospects – as dim or as bright as they can look.

Our kids have truly been a living example of autism acceptance. She thinks of him and how he can participate constantly. He looks to her often as a mediator for his participation. She waits for him, makes accommodation for him and gives him every possible avenue for inclusion in our lives, including some brother v. sister pestering.

Our success (so far) in raising up a child that is inclusive, accepting and compassionate, gives me hope for future success in raising awareness for what can truly be a gut wrenching disability. Noah’s additional diagnosis of Intellectual Disability doubles down on some of his characteristics that some might label as “extreme”, “retarded” or “weak”. Yet what some see as weakness, God sees as opportunity.

If this is true, we cannot let any reasonable opportunity go by to talk about Noah and his story. We cannot stifle an opening to soften the edges or refine someone’s innocently erroneous viewpoint on kids like Noah. Until the whole world hears and is accepting and understanding of children and adults with disabilities, we cannot rest, just because we’re tired from the previous 300+ days. For someone else, this may be their best chance to hear an impactful anecdote that shifts their opinion to one of shared advocacy and understanding. We need more voices in the wilderness crying out our stories, not less.