Penny for Your Thoughts

Penny for Your Thoughts
            “What’s up, Seanie? Did you have a good day?”
            I dream that someday my severely autistic younger son will answer me. A quickly snapped, “Yes!” is a practiced response intended to satisfy his questioner without necessarily conveying meaning. Even on his most difficult days, his automatic answer to, “How do you feel?” is “Happy!”
            Our son is very intelligent in many ways, but struggles with language make it difficult for him to verbalize details about feeling sick, angry or sad. This has to be frustrating for him. For us parents, seeing signs that he’s ill or in pain without further clues can be heart-wrenching.
            Disheartening as communication challenges are, just being together without talking can be a great pleasure.
            When on a beach, forest trail, or park path walking with Sean, he doesn’t have to say anything. He holds my hand as I point to big waves crashing on the shore, or dramatic light on the horizon. Walking in a beautiful place together makes the day’s troubles fade.
            May we all find a simple pleasure that temporarily melts away life’s stresses. Keep putting one foot forward!
            This week’s HikingAutism Hike Notes from the archives is Rockaway Beach via Calera Creek Path, a Pacifica walk that our family loves for its combination of grassy fields and stunning ocean views.
 
This week’s Hike Notes from the Archives:
(Original Hike Notes 44): Rockaway Beach via Calera Creek Path
 
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