Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
The last month or so I have looked at so many graduates with their cap and gowns, dangling all their medals and cords they were awarded. I see various pictures with all their relatives. I watch as moms and dads shed tears feeling so grateful for their kids’ accomplishments. It is so great to celebrate these accomplishments for years of hard work. Graduating from high school or college is a special event and moment for sure.
Whenever one of our uniquely made children graduate, I think you can add:
- 100 cords for things they have accomplished that took months or even years
- Many honor scarfs for all the times they stepped up and accomplished a skill
- Several pins for all the times they didn’t have aggressive behaviors
- Valedictorian for making it to the finish line, showing true grit and determination
I have watched as Kerry Magro, a public speaker who has autism, completed his PhD this year! Wow! That was really cool to see. This gives so many of us parents hope for sure. Temple Grandin, who also has her PhD, is another person living with autism who has done tremendous advocacy and brought much awareness to autism and other disabilities in her public speaking.
My own son Charlie, who is almost 18 and has autism has two more years of school left.
He can do it! He can do it!
I can’t imagine the feeling when he actually walks across that stage, when he is handed his diploma, when we get to take those family pictures with his cap and gown. Who knows how many cords or scarfs he will have?
