Hope

"What doesn't kill me makes me stronger."

I don't know if its true, because autism took a toll on my family.  It made for isolation, misery, nightmare days, and hopeless nights.  Mine was the child melting down in stores and airports, throwing furniture, breaking doors, running out of school, flummoxing teachers, alienating family, leaving us hurt, alone, miserable, and, I feared, hopeless.

And that's my son dancing in the flashmob.  I've written before about the miracles we've experienced, but after watching this video, I want to share again that there is hope.  If things with your autistic child seem hopeless now -- if you fear he will never read/write/drive/dance/speak/date/thrive/manage himself/work -- don't give up.  Don't despair.  I feared all of those things, and the evidence and experts gave me little reason for hope.

But today he reads, writes, drives, dances, speaks, dates, thrives, manages himself, works, and participates in flash mobs. So there, experts and naysayers.  And there, parents who despair, there is hope.  Do not give up.