It was just another visit to the Home Depot.
Since we’re renovating our house, my husband visits the store on a near-daily basis.
April 2, 2013
We were laughing about paint colors (“‘Manhattan Mist’?! That’s just … toxic!”) when I saw them. The blue light bulbs.
I didn’t have to read the signs. I’ve volunteered with Autism Speaks, and written for their blog as well. I knew what the bulbs were for: Light It Up Blue for World Autism Awareness Day.
When I saw that display, I had this sliding sensation in the pit of my stomach; it was as though I could feel time move. It seemed just moments ago that I was a child, fighting with my younger brother Willie over the TV remote, and learning what ‘autism’ meant.
How surreal that autism awareness isn’t a ‘small’ cause, that autism isn’t a rare diagnosis anymore.
When I was young, I was thrilled to meet one fellow sibling of an individual on the spectrum, one person who could relate. And now, here I was, standing before autism awareness light bulbs in Home Depot.
How quickly things have changed, I thought. A few years ago, we would never have seen something like this. And what will we see in years to come?
***
Last year, on World Autism Awareness Day, I wrote about hoping against hope. I wrote about the painful sides of Willie’s autism, the outbursts and aggression. I wrote about how hard it can be, to know so little about the workings of his mind.
What does ‘lighting it up blue’ mean for me now? It means that I hold on to the small, specific ways that Willie himself brings light. Because even as we advocate for autism awareness in general, it’s vital that that work is grounded in relationships with people in particular.
It’s easy to get lost in concepts; it’s not so easy to commit to loving and supporting one person. A concept, after all, will never steal the remote control and then bite your hand when you try to get it back.
But then again, a concept won’t ever love you back.
***
Arms-length, 2012, courtesy of AutismAfter16.com. Used with permission.
Though you may not have met him, my wish on World Autism Awareness Day (Tuesday, April 2, 2013) is that you would be able to glimpse the Willie I know.
I wish I could show you how brilliant he is; he does the best impressions. Once, after a family Lord of the Rings viewing, he stood in front of us, widened his stance, and said, with great intensity and authority: “Leave all that can be spared. We travel light. Let’s hunt some orc.” We held our stomachs and laughed until we cried.
I wish I could show you a brother who counts down the days until my birthday, who sings with gusto and accompanies our parents on the piano when they call to sing to me.
I wish that you would know what a miracle is: your formerly out-of-control sibling playing, ‘Happy Birthday.’
I wish I could show you the sight of his smile as I snap an arms-length photo … oh wait, I can do that.
I can give you the blue of Willie’s eyes, reflecting light.
***
What are some of your wishes for autism awareness? Join the conversation in the comments!
***
Fed up with an ‘impossible’ person? Tired of a situation that may never change?
Pick up I Was a Stranger to Beauty (ThinkPiece Publishing).
*If you don’t have a Kindle, don’t worry! You can use Amazon’s (free) Kindle Cloud Reader.
More New Posts from Yours Truly:
Upcoming speaking engagements – if you’re in the area(s), I’d love to see you there!
- University of North Alabama, Social Media & Marketing Class (students only), April 16, 2013
- Autism Society’s 44th Annual Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, July 10-13, 2013
