For You, When You Can’t See the Silver Lining: A Tale of Serenades, Special Needs, and the Best Surprise of All
Of all the surprises that my birthday held, the one I least expected was a stranger's serenade. Naturally, this requires an explanation. The week before my birthday, I'd dropped off my well-loved boots at a local shoe-repair shop to be re-soled. These boots have been my go-to footwear for two and a half years, ever since I acquired them during a freezing-cold vacation for which I was ill-prepared. (19 degrees in Alabama? When does that happen?) So, when the soles of the boots opened into holes, I determined that my friend Roberto would be the one to rescue them. Roberto...
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100 Posts on Disability, Caregiving, and Courage (and Why We Fear Public Speaking More than Death)
I stare down at the small pile before me: an outline of my talk (8 pages long), 2 books to read from, and 1 cough drop, just in case things get desperate. This is it, I think. There's no going back now. I'm standing in front of a small audience at St. Francis of Assisi church, about to give a talk entitled, "Not A Burden, but a Privilege: Ministry Alongside People with Special Needs." And boy oh boy, am I nervous. I try not to think about the camera filming me, or the raw ache in my throat that had...
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Our Bold, Not-So-Secret Mission: A Place at the Table
I resisted the siren song of sleep and got up when my alarm clock chirped. (I have a clock that allows you to wake up to things like 'Rainforest Sounds' or 'Birds Chirping'. My husband loves to make fun of it.) I dressed quickly, and sprinted to catch the bus downtown. I was heading to the fifth annual Heart of L'Arche Breakfast at the Mayflower Hotel, and I did not want to be late. I've been a part of L'Arche since the Breakfast began, and I've never missed one. This year's event held particular poignance, since my husband and I...
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Why I Am Not Afraid of Having A Child with Autism
When I'm feeling out of sorts or uninspired, my favorite remedy is to go for a long walk. Such was the case this weekend, when I found myself stressed on Saturday morning. So, I headed out the door. After a mile of walking, I felt myself starting to smile. The tension within abated as I noticed the beauty around me. Blooming flowers, fluttering birds, blue skies ... all worked together to move my mind from anxiety to appreciation. As I walked through Rock Creek Park, I felt the noise within quieting down. And in the newfound quiet, I remembered a...
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I was a Stranger to Beauty (and Who Invited Me In)
Photographs by Stefan Bremer, courtesy of Charles Krause. On a chilly Sunday afternoon, I pedaled downtown to see a photography exhibit. As I parked my bike and dialed the apartment number, I wondered what I was walking into. I didn't know the gallery or its owner, but a dear friend had told me I simply had to see these photographs. On the strength of her word I stood, and a voice welcomed me and buzzed me in. Charles Krause opened the door for my wind-swept self and took my cold hand into a warm handshake, and bid me...
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My Brother is the Biter: On Smashing Guitars, Owning Hard Truths, and Coming Through with Love: Guest Post on Autism Home Rescue
Readers, I'm happy to share that I have a guest post running today! (The 2nd guest posting has been postponed.) My Brother is the Biter: On Smashing Guitars, Owning Hard Truths, and Coming Through with Love is on Autism Home Rescue. Thank you, Cathy, for allowing me to guest on your site! It's been a pleasure to connect with you and your community. Welcome to A Wish Come Clear, readers from Autism Home Rescue! This Valentine's Day, I'd like to invite you to consider giving yourself the gift of posts via email. When you do, you'll also receive a copy...
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From Me to You: A Valentine’s Video and Giveaway!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4R5omHk7qI If you can't watch the video, here's a brief summary, and a photo of the artwork too! Welcome to the (3rd-ever) A Wish Come Clear video message! A few quick updates: I'll have 2 guest posts running tomorrow, at Autism Home Rescue and I'm A Mom Too, respectively. I'm honored to be a part of both, since they focus on providing support for caregivers of people with disabilities. A very big thank you to everyone who has encouraged, supported, and purchased Love's Subversive Stance, especially the print book version! Your enthusiasm has made the entire process worthwhile....
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The Delivery That Changed My Life (And The Book That Could Change Yours)
Last week, I found a small, brown package propped up against the door to our apartment. I didn't have to pick it up to know what it was; in fact, once I did pick it up, I set it carefully on our coffee table and proceeded to ignore it for several hours. (Perhaps ignore doesn't quite capture it. Tiptoe around it like the elephant in the room is much more accurate.) The proof copy of Love's Subversive Stance had arrived, and somehow, I wasn't quite ready to open it. And then, hours later, I was. Slowly, I cut...
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How To Find Contentment in the (Painful, Crazy, Joyous) Present Moment
Have you ever looked at a photograph and thought, What a window into another world ? That's how I feel when I see this picture of my friends Gene and Allison, snapped at a L'Arche dance in July 2007. At the time, I'd been at L'Arche just over a month, and so, though we liked each other immediately, we were all relative strangers then. When I look at this picture now, I take in the bright colors, the glad energy, the happy smiles. I take it all in, thinking, "God, we had no idea what was coming." We didn't know how...
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Death, Empowerment, and How To Make Your Grandpa Proud: Thoughts on A Wish Come Clear’s Anniversary
There's a great deal of power in having someone believe in your dreams. The path to following my dream of becoming a full-time writer is filled with people who believed in me. From my grade-school teachers (who thought I had a gift for writing) to my parents (who took me to 6am skating practice, helped me get to Vassar, and so much more), to my friends and readers here (who have brought stories, help, and support to every post) to my husband (whose technical and emotional support have been invaluable) ... I could not have done any of this without...
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