Each of us at one time or another have said “yes” to something, following our intuition, and then wondered how we would pull it off, how we would rise to the occasion.
I’ve done it again. I’ve decided again to look for happiness in unlikely places.
As many of you know about three years ago I said “yes” when my grandnephew when at age 2 he was diagnosed with A. L. L. leukemia. I became a part of his hands-on circle of support as he maneuvered his way through a bone marrow transplant and months of horrific treatments. My work from the moment I got the news was for the most part put on hold in order to participate in his healing process. I am delighted to say that, except for a few challenges, he is doing well and just celebrated his 5th birthday!
After he returned to his home in Alaska, I began the journey of regaining the momentum I had gained with Drive Yourself Happy and my other work with Circle Connections when it became apparent that my own grandson was facing challenges with autism. How could I turn my back here? Despite the downward turning economy and my ever-dwindling savings, I decided to temporarily relocate from my beloved Post Townsend to Long Beach, CA to assist with Brody’s care.
A visit that we intended to be long enough to welcome Brody’s baby sister and arrange for him to get appropriate services has turned into months and an incredible biomedical approach to his healing as well as a off-putting obstacle course with the school district , insurance, and medical systems. Sound familiar to some of you?
For whatever reason I was called to say “yes” once again and become an active advocate for Brody, just as I did for my grandnephew, Connor. In my heart and against all logic, I feel called to be here for these children who act as “canaries in the gold mind” to alert us what is needed to heal our earth, our environment, our health-care system, our bodies, and out way of being with one another.
Last month was Autism Awareness Month. Since we fully leaped beyond denial to understand and accept that Brody had this disorder that is now affecting 1 of every 60 children, I have learned so much, and yet have only scratched the surface. Exhausted but invested, I know it is my calling to be of help in any way I can, trusting that the way and the means would be revealed.
Still committed to the belief that happiness is possible regardless of even these circumstances, I have decided to share the knowns and unknows of the step I take, clear that there are many faced with such challenges who might benefit from my revelations and feel less alone because I am willing to share my fear along the way.
And so this will be the first of many updates I will share with you as I prepare to head off in June to the Autism Treatment Center of America’s Son-Rise Program for a 5 day intensive training to set up a home based child centered program specific to Brody’s needs.
Ready. Fire. Aim. Deep breath. Lean with faith.
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