Logan is sometimes patient and tolerant and sometimes very much the opposite. For example, when the photographer moved him 3 times during the set-up for our family photo shoot, Logan began to lose his good humor. He probably was thinking, “Why can’t this guy figure out where to put me?” Like other children his age, Logan had no inkling of how difficult it must be to pose a family of 8 with such a broad age range; but unlike other children, his reaction is 10 to the 15th power. At restaurants or other public places, Logan is often the perfect little gentleman. At other times, he can be upset and loud. In this, he is not unlike other children his age, but his reactions are more extreme. When other people give our family “the look” in such a circumstance, I am sometimes tempted to tell them that Logan has special needs. Not once during an outburst has anyone come up to us with the boldness and grace to ask, “How can I help you?” On one occasion, the answer would have been as simple as going to find a restaurant employee to have them obtain the spoon that Logan needed to eat his food, but I am sure that many people are very hesitant to approach for fear of seeming intrusive.
Logan is like a little mirror. I see in him what I need more of and what I need to let go; what I need to work on, and what I need to just accept or allow myself to enjoy. He is a priceless treasure. I have learned to look beyond the seaweed and sand of issues and behaviors into his sea blue eyes, to the infinite value of his heart and soul.
I am still learning from my precious little teacher. Yes, Logan has some special needs. So do I. I need to be more loving, more patient, more focused on what is true and just and lovely. I need to keep learning to look beyond, to see the limitless value of each human life.
Logan is more than a clinical diagnosis. He is a little boy. He is my little sweetheart, and he is someone. He is loved and valued deeply by his family and friends and by his Creator. Yes, Logan is VERY SPECIAL!
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UPDATE: Since the facebook note that became the post above was written, there have been a lot of changes. Logan is now 8 years old. We left pull-ups behind long ago, and he has no problem voicing his need to go to the restroom. Logan is doing very well in his Moderate Autism 3rd grade class. He reads well, is doing double digit additiona and subtraction with re-grouping (borrowing or carrying), can count money and tell time, and he’s becoming more and more conversational in his speech. Logan just started a new therapy program to overcome his extreme oral sensitivity so that he can begin to chew and eat normally, and we are excited about this opportunity for major progress. Logan is a blessing!