The Future is Bright

I fancy myself a bit of a children’s book author.  I’ve written and self-published one book called “When I’m Asleep, I can Fly,” have written another one which will be published in a few months, and have another idea in the hopper.  All of my books have a special needs spin.  Although writing is a passion of mine, I was not inspired to write actual books until my son came along.  I’m telling you all this not because I’m looking to sell more books, but because it was in researching my latest book that I had a wonderful realization – the future is bright. 

The book I’m currently writing is inspired by a little girl who is a fan of my first book.  It is written from the perspective of a child who becomes friends with a child who has special needs.  I actually had this idea about a year ago and wrote a good junk of the book then, but realized in revisiting this project that it needed a little fleshing out.  So, I recently turned to my son’s current fifth grade class for ideas.  I thought I might get a few random thoughts from a few of his classmates, but that was not the case.  I was truly touched and blown away by the response I received and by their profound insights; so much so, that I had to share.

To give you a little background, this was my son’s first year at this school.  We just moved to our current neighborhood last July.  My son had been at his previous school for seven years.  In that school system, the kids with special needs are in a contained classroom and not mainstreamed with the rest of the school.  I was comfortable with that arrangement and loved the staff who worked with him.  His current school, on the other hand, is inclusive.  While he would be pulled out of class for special instructions from time to time during the day, he would be part of a class of regular fifth graders.  To be honest, this terrified me.  I was really afraid of how the others kids might see him or treat him.  I am happy to report that our experience at his current school has been nothing short of amazing.  He has been embraced by the kids and staff alike in a way I could not have imagined even in my wildest dreams.

Getting back to the book, one morning I wrote a random note in my son’s communication notebook asking that the kids share with me thoughts they had about having a child like Owen in their classroom.  That evening I received a stack of papers back on which the kids shared their thoughts about Owen and what he meant to them and how he changed their perspective about those with special needs.  It’s taken me quite awhile to get through what they’ve written because I can only read a page or two before bursting into tears.  Here is what they shared.

They spoke of how Owen changed their perception of not only those with special needs, but those who are different from them in general.  To paraphrase, one child shared that they learned that even if you’re different, you can still be great and awesome.  Some shared being nervous about having him in their class, but how that nervousness went away once they got to know him.  One child shared that even though Owen can’t talk, you can tell he’s a good person by his smile and his eyes.  Another child shared that what he learned from Owen is that you can be your own person and not care what others think of you.  And, one girl stated, “He’s his own special star that shines bright.”

When I asked the kids to share their thoughts with me in early March, I had no idea how meaningful this would be, as two weeks later, school was shut down due to the Corona virus pandemic.  While initially the shut down was only planned for two weeks, it now appears likely the kids will not physically be going back to school during this school year.  It’s especially sad because this school only goes to fifth grade, and as a fifth grader, Owen is one and done at this school and will move on to middle school next year.  It would have been nice to say a proper good-bye to his classmates and to the staff at school, but unfortunately, it was not meant to be.  What I am thankful for, however, is that I have their precious thoughts and insights to keep for always.  I originally intended for them to help me complete a book.  What I got, however, is so much more.  Their thoughts give me hope for the future – a future where those with special needs will be looked at differently.  A world where they will be embraced for what they add to the world and how they enrich the lives of others.