Child-Like Embrace

When does it happen? When do we lose our child like faith, our child sense of care, our child blindness to differences and forget how to embrace life and those we come in contact with?
We try to say that as “followers of Christ” we are not judgmental, that we accept everyone yet how many of us have truly lost our “child sense?” In this day in age it is true we do need to have a sense of “guard”. We teach our children not to talk to “don’t knows” unless their “safe side adult” is around. I totally grasp that for I have a child on the spectrum who still doesn’t realize that you don’t go up and hug everyone you see….as he darts behind the bank counter…by the vault…to tackle the nice lady with a hug and kiss on the arm. My fear is that they will think that this is some part of a plan to rob them.

Today I witnessed once again a teaching moment as I watched my son “embrace” the life of another person…a person seeking to be loved and recognized.

He saw her immediately. He saw her with marveled eyes as he voiced, “She has pretty tattoos”, and then he saw it…her puppy and he darted away from me, through the ice cream parlor doors and out to the benches by the road where this young lady sat with her dog. Yes, she was covered with tattoos from her neck down. She had an earring through her nose, yet my son saw something in her that most of us adults would dismiss with one glance of color on her body and piercings. He saw a person and he entered her world of “ice cream and puppies.” This young lady sat with Joshua and shared about her dog and then about all the items on her key chain and then she let him hold the leash of her precious pooch. How do I know this dog was precious to her? She adorned a scarf, beautiful collar and she ate ice-cream from a dish, which my children thought was wonderful.

He brought something out of her that was not there when I first saw her sit. Her affect changed to smiles and laughter. He made her feel comfortable.
I saw a picture of Christ in my son.

Let me paint a small picture for you. Christ sees us, looks beyond our scars and sees that we are beautiful…why not, He created us. (Song of Songs 4:7) He pursues us and has through time. (Song of Songs 4:9) Then He sits with us, allow us to feel freedom in His presence, wants us to share with Him, to accept His embrace, He captures every moment…..….Christ wants a lasting relationship with you. He doesn’t want to be just a lingering sent that He was there (Song of Songs 5:5,6a)….His pursuit is for LIFE with you.

My son taught me something powerful today. First, regarding my relationship with Christ and the true power of His love. Second, that I am His reflection to this generation of souls. I pray that I may have that “Child Like Embrace” that my son will always encompass.
(I was so taken in by watching these three interact that I did not even ask her name or anything about her…I pray our paths meet again.)

Below are a few things about people with autism that I see daily in my son’s life that has drawn me closer to my Lord.

1) Autistic People Rarely Lie. We all claim to value the truth, but almost all of us tell little white lies. All, that is, except people on the autism spectrum. To them,truth is truth -- and a good word from a person on the spectrum is the real deal.

2) People on the Autism Spectrum Live in the Moment. How often do typical people fail to notice what's in front of their eyes because they're distracted by social cues or random chitchat? People on the autism spectrum truely attend to the sensory input that surrounds them. Many have achieved the ideal of mindfulness.

3) People with Autism Rarely Judge Others. Who's fatter? Richer? Smarter? For people on the autism spectrum, these distinctions hold much less importance than for typical folks. In fact,people on the spectrum often see through such surface appearances to discover the real person.

4) Autistic People are Passionate. Of course, not all autistic people are alike. But many are truly passionate about the things, ideas and people in their lives. How many"typical" people can say the same?

5) People with Autism Are Not Tied to Social Expectations. If you've ever bought a car, played a game or joined a club to fit in,you know how hard it is to be true to yourself. But for people with autism, social expectations can be honestly irrelevant. What matters is true liking, interest and passion -- not keeping up with the Joneses.

6) People with Autism Have Terrific Memories. How often do typical people forget directions, or fail to take note of colors, names, and other details? People on the autism spectrum are often much more tuned in to details. They may have a much better memory than their typical peers for all kind of critical details.

7) Autistic People Are Less Materialistic. Of course, this is not universally true -- but in general, people with autism are far less concerned with outward appearance than their typical peers. As a result, they worry less about brand names, hairstyles and other expensive but unimportant externals than most people do.

8) Autistic People Play Fewer Head Games. Who was that woman, and why were you looking at her? I know I TOLD you I didn't mind if you went out, but why did you believe me? Most autistic people don't play games like these -- and they assume that you won't either. It's a refreshing and wonderful change from the Peyton Place emotional roller coaster that mars too many typical relationships!

9) Autistic People Have Fewer Hidden Agendas. Most of the time, if a person on the autism spectrum tells you what he wants -- he is telling you what he wants. No need to beat around the bush, second guess, and hope you're reading between the lines!1

10) People with Autism Open New Doors for Neurotypicals. For some of us neurotypicals, having an autistic person in our lives has had a profound positive impact on our perceptions, beliefs and expectations. For me, at least, being the mom of a son on the autism spectrum has released me from a lifetime of "should" -- and offered me anew world of "is."

Lisa Jo Rudy is a veteran science writer and author of dozens of articles and educational materials for organizations including the National Geographic Society and the National Science Foundation. As the mother of a boy with autism, she is also an active member of the autism community.