Six months ago, Aidan graduated from elementary school.  On that day, I realized that not only was I proud of my own son for his accomplishments, I was also proud of his classmates. I had watched those kids grow up for the past six years, cared about them, and I shared with their parents the emotion of that special day.

Now, as we celebrate the holidays and this year comes to a close, I realize that I feel the same way about a different group of kids and their parents. I have been fortunate to get to know many families who live with autism. And I appreciate this connection so much. I love how happy I feel when I read about a non-verbal child who finds a way to communicate, or a teen attending his own IEP, or a child who is able to show empathy. I am awed by a teen’s insight in processing something emotionally difficult. And I feel triumphant when our children, no matter what age, are able to overcome sensory issues so that they can attend a huge birthday party, or even go to a nightclub! I feel as strongly about their accomplishments as I do about those of my own children.

These are the gifts that we share. I feel so blessed to have come to know all of you – those I mentioned in this post and many more. I wish all of you a beautiful holiday. However you celebrate the season, I hope it is filled with peace, love, and abundant joy.