A salute to our senior... #ArtandAutism...

`            Our Elias--always boldly jumping on to new paths. His art journey is in the youtube below:

Just like most everyone else in the world, our school year has been unpredictably tossed upside down. The graduates for 2020, for both college and high school, will forge new paths we have not seen before. Yet, even without the virus, Elias's graduation means he is crossing a new and unnavigated bridge. It is vastly different than his five older siblings. I am not sure what adventures lie ahead for him, Yet, like everything he has done before, people have unexpectedly come on his path to light his/our way. His autism journey has had a few shadows, but dawn has unfailingly always come. 

He never took an SAT, nor did he apply to a university. He/we never worried about his grade point average. Instead, we were all climbing our "autism mountain" in the last fifteen years. Now he wants to go to art school, have more exhibits, write books and movie scripts. He keeps getting ideas, and we try to help him achieve his goals.  

I always say I would trade his path for him. But not for us, his family. He has given us a template on how to be better people, and hopefully, we have taken note. Occasionally, as we have all climbed his autism mountain with him, he has asked why he has autism. Sometimes he has asked me, through the years, "Why does my brain work differently than others?" Our response? We try and teach him about his unique and marvelous array of gifts that have somehow miraculously interwoven with many places, people, and cultures. 

He is super athletic and has surprised people he could make goals in a soccer game or points in a basketball game. He has taught everyone that he can glide down a mountain on skis with skill and finesse. He has brought people from many cultures together. I think we laugh more than we would have without him by our side. He teaches all not to take ourselves too seriously. There is no competition or rivalry in his world--just a liberating harmony and peace. 

He loves history--world history. He would surprise anyone in his conversations about people through the ages. Perhaps his greatest gift, however, is that he has taught people how to love more completely, more purely. His sport and scouts leaders always told us they were more patient, more forbearing when he was in the group or team. The complicated equations of how to be more kind, forgiving, and loving--without any strings attached--he already inherently figured out long ago.  He truly sees no line, color, or distinction--just merely another person to love.  

This YouTube is a story of Elias's creative journey he has pulled us on. It chronicles many, many people who have crossed our paths with us in many countries and places. I am excited to continue this path with him. It never fails to be a reawakening and adventure...