VIDBE-Q Volume 64 Issue 4
71
Puts you in a comfortable place.
You bond over being the warrior that you've become.
You have an appreciation for the road.
You have this appreciation for how much more strength,
And love,
And patience,
And caring,
And support that it takes to raise this child.
You have a connection.
You take and take and take in the beginning.
Then transition to being supportive,
Transition out of the fear.
We've been fortunate to be on both sides.
We've asked for help and we've offered to help.
All the people we've met and influenced.
You never know whom you might have touched.
Or made someone think differently because of your experience.
If I die tomorrow, the reason I was here was for that parent today.
A level of compassion comes with having a child with special needs.
People who have children with special needs can feel isolated.
We all share in that death of the dream of a typical child.
There's an empowerment to finding a group.
And belonging.
And seeing other people who shared that path
And who have pulled up their bootstraps.