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The grey haired woman and her son.

by Kelley

in Autism, ramblings, Stuff about Boo

A few years ago I was sitting in my car out the front of the local shopping centre.

Waiting for Maddie to finish work/about to go shopping/having a nap, I am not sure WHY I was there but the point is I was sitting in my car when an older woman walked past with her son.

They were smiling at each other.

The son, probably in his mid twenties, had his hand protectively hovering near the small of her back.

He was animately telling her something.

The mother started laughing, the son joined in and they continued on their way.

I couldn’t hear what they were laughing about, but, like my reason for sitting there, it was inconsequential.

I sat there transfixed.

Watching them until they were out of sight, batting away the tears.

The woman, probably in her fifties, impeccably dressed, her face framed with wisps of silver grey hair escaping from her long ponytail.

The son, slightly overweight, dressed for comfort, his face showing typical features of Downs Syndrome.

The pair so happy to just be together.

Sharing a story.  A joke.  A walk to the shops.

The mutual love radiating from them.

At this time Boo was difficult to take anywhere.

He became so easily overwhelmed it was just easier to just… not.

To be able to just walk down the street, to have a conversation and a laugh was just so impossible.

Incomprehensible.

I found myself wishing that was me.

That maybe, if I worked hard enough, wished on enough stars and four leafed clovers, one day when I was old and grey Boo and I would be able to do something so mundane as walk to the shops and share a laugh.

Today, I walked past that spot where I parked all those years ago.

And I realised that my wish has already come true.

Many years before I even dreamed that day sitting in my car batting away those jealous tears.

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{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Marita February 11, 2014 at 7:16 pm

:: tears of happiness ::

Reply

2 Mel G February 11, 2014 at 7:29 pm

Awww… ♥

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3 Cadi's Mum. February 11, 2014 at 7:33 pm

Now I’ve got something in my eye!

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4 Lisa Mckenzie February 11, 2014 at 7:34 pm

I am so glad that woman is now you xx

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5 Christie February 11, 2014 at 8:18 pm

You are an inspiration lovely lady xxx

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6 Lisa Barton-Collins February 11, 2014 at 9:28 pm

You made my eyes leak! Thank you for sharing.
xx

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7 Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella February 11, 2014 at 9:30 pm

Beautiful Kelley, just beautiful! 🙂

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8 Twitchy February 12, 2014 at 1:06 am

So happy to read this xx

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9 Anne February 12, 2014 at 2:04 am

/sniffles/ so sweet! Thank you for sharing that.

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10 Jo February 12, 2014 at 3:07 am

That’s beautiful – I’m so glad xx

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11 Meleah Rebeccah February 12, 2014 at 6:10 am

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!

*wipes tears*

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12 Char February 12, 2014 at 8:29 am

That’s just lovely.

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13 eccentricess February 12, 2014 at 8:38 am

*fist pump* YESSSS!

SO happy for you, what a wonderful moment. 🙂

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14 Sarah @ Slapdash Mama February 12, 2014 at 2:58 pm

So beautiful. Love this so much.

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15 river February 12, 2014 at 5:14 pm

🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

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16 Marylin February 13, 2014 at 1:18 am

oh sweety! I have those same thoughts too.
Max isn’t at the stage of us chatting while walking down the street, but we can now walk hand in hand to the shops, with him happy and content, to choose a sweet or a magazine. Hell, I can even take him on the bus INTO TOWN (about 40 min away by bus) to go for a KFC and a (very short) look around a couple of shops before getting the bus back.
Even a year ago I could never have imagined being able to do that without him having to be in his buggy!
It’s amazing what our boys are doing to surprise us every day. Make the hard times totally worth it.
I know that in a few years, Max and I will be able to chat away while we do these things. He’s just taking his time for now. 🙂

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17 Veronicali February 13, 2014 at 12:15 pm

Wait … you’re grey? 😉
Seriously happy for you and Boo.

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18 KateSaysStuff February 13, 2014 at 1:08 pm

Oh I love this so much <3

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19 Sue Bride February 13, 2014 at 7:31 pm

Thanks for reminding me how lucky I am to have a son who makes me proud when I am out with him. We still get stares because of his awkward gait and facial expressions but I don’t care because I have a special bond with him which far outweighs them. Today he willingly helped me weed the garden. He put away the shopping and took out the bins without being asked. We are about to cook dinner together.

I took great satisfaction in the look of relief and pleasure on his face when I told him I had sorted out a problem at his day centre which had caused him a panic attack last night.

No more melt downs, no more struggles to get him in and out of the car, no more puking because of anxiety and no more bed wetting. The earlier struggles were worth it.

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