My oldest (M) wrote this little composition last year. I was happy for many reasons; his writing is getting better, he chose me to write about (you had to choose a family member) and he focused on my sewing. The last part, well…it warmed my heart.
One of the most difficult decisions I had to make when my kids got diagnosed with autism was to quit my job and stay home with them. Working from home can be quite isolating and it is still something I struggle with. This is part of the reason I started this blog, an attempt at community and a desire to want to be seen.
When my oldest came home with this essay it felt like he was saying “I see you, I see you sewing, and I know you like it, and I know it’s your job, and you are contributing to our family.” One of the issues some kids on the autism spectrum have is their inability to see outside their world. M would spend long stretches of time, by himself, lining up cars and playing with strings. He still will talk to you, hours on end, about sports, not caring whether you are interested or not. The fact that he now comes home, asks me about my day, what I sewed, who I printed on what t-shirt, well, it’s just so amazing for me to see. He has come such a long way.
Peek a boo, I see you. I played this with M all the time when he was younger. Well, guess what. He now sees me too.
*Vintage post from March 2013. I have since returned to work, as a museum educator, on a part time basis.
Girl Reconstructed 