Gabe slept over at the church last night for his CIT training for the Vacation Bible Camp that is coming up.......he has been talking about it for months......so excited for it all and he missed part of it due to us being away.....and when I saw the pictures of how happy he was there it makes my heart happy.......I have found along our way that there are people that either totally get him, and make room or space for him, or there are people that don't, or find a challenge in doing that......and unfortunately the people that struggle sometimes are people that I know very well in life and it makes it challenging.....and maybe if I had placed a bet all those years ago, on who would fully accept him as he is, and who would struggle with that, I would have been wrong.......and as his mom I am obviously drawn to the people that really get it, the ones where I don't have to explain Gabe to them, or feel like I have to temper his ways around them as to not overwhelm them.......all of it......and sometimes it is hard when I see him mirrored in others......how they view and experience him.......he is a lot sometimes....no question.....and our lives can be a lot, it isn't his behavior......it is just the energy he brings to the table sometimes can wear people down.......he talks a lot......asks questions a lot......wants to be near everybody a lot........just all of that sorta thing and I guess because people are not used to it, it makes them uncertain as to what to do with that.......and it puts me in the middle.......I am so grateful for the spaces where I don't feel that way.....and so grateful to our church......they are so good with him and understanding.....open......and accepting of him......and truly have been since the moment we stepped foot into the church.....it feels good to know a place like that exists......one that he equally loves......he loves all the people there too, and the teenagers there are the best around and totally get him! I try really hard to not take the acceptance of Gabe personally.......just like most things, the way folks respond to him is more a reflection of them than it is of him......it has actually been a barometer for me......feeling the depth of somebody's heart and goodness in the way they are with Gabe.......are they a super good human or not.......it can be telling and eye opening......I am so used to being Gabe's mom and having that all be a part of my life that I sometimes forget how it would seem from the outside.....and I have read many Williams Syndrome tales and Gabe truly does so so well in so many ways and in comparison, and to me it doesn't feel all that different than parenting Mads......I have to be more patient sometimes, in terms of answering questions or doing the same stuff over and over......but overall he brings such joy and light into our days that I am too busy focusing on that to focus on the rest......I suppose for the rest of his life, he will come across people that either get him or don't and it won't have much to do with him at all.....and his acceptance will continue to include everyone no matter what.......which says everything anybody needs to know about him:)
jperuso
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