Thursday, May 5, 2011

Rewriting your Story


Once life drops a challenge like Autism, we realize that the story we were living in, has met with an unexpected twist

In the minutes, that it takes the psychologist to tell us that our child has autism, we can find that our story is going to be completely different from that of our friends.

That, in fact, we are going to be living in a completely different genre of stories

We search for those with stories like ours

And we find them

We tell them our story

And we listen to theirs

We give comfort

And we feel comforted

And that was the way it was with me

But as time passed, I saw that I could rewrite my story

Indeed it was critical to do so

I realized that the most important story that I will ever tell, is the one I tell myself.

About me and my life.

And that I am not just the central character of my life

But also the author

Its most important audience

And the narrator

And so the story I started to write, has become a story of gifts and gratitude and love

And not a story of loss and fear and guilt

And I see my child as different, even gifted

And I stopped seeing him as broken

I have come to see the difficulties of my life

But am still deeply aware of its essential sweetness

And I find that I am not living in a sad story

Or a make-the-most story 

Or even a second-best story

And that the story that began so promisingly with “once upon a time” does end on a “happily ever after

Because this is my story

And that is how I write .



This post has been written for Hopeful Parents. If you have a minute do visit that wonderful website here

15 comments:

Þorgerður said...

:) good reminder... you make me smile

Secret Sunshine said...

Yep. Well said.

Anonymous said...

Meeting my optimism need for the day, you are!
Barbara

autismand said...

Beautiful.

Lizbeth said...

And you write so well. Beautifully stated. :)

Lynn said...

This is a great sentiment for Mother's Day (and Father's Day for that matter). My story has not unfolded as I thought but it is not a sad weeper either.

kathleen said...

Lovely...poetry...yes, we are the author and narrator..yes. :)

Mr. Daddy said...

K, thank you for you :o) You make the world a better place to live...

Anonymous said...

when i am feeling discouraged or tempted to compare... or when this life with autism seems second best... i often think of you, your words filled with gifts and gratitude, your perspective and the story of your beautiful family... and i am encouraged.

happy mother's day, my friend!

D. S. Walker said...

Beautiful and so true! Thank you for the reminder!

Looking for Blue Sky said...

I really enjoyed reading this today x

Kris said...

Beautiful perspective.

cheairs frank said...

So hopeful...Just so full of promise. Thank for sharing your beautiful writing...
Redefining Typical
www.cheairsgraves.com
sorry for leaving my url in the comment section. It would not take it in the "identity" section

Rachel said...

If there were one post I would send someone to for a glimpse of how perfectly you impart hope whilst making me think - it would be this one.

Gorgeous... I love your heart.

Christy/acolorfulmaze said...

This is beautiful, thank you. :-)

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