Ask any Jewish person, and they'll tell you missing Seder with 15 of your nearest and dearest is heartbreaking. Ask any Special Needs parent, and they'll tell you missing something this important due to your Disabled child is equally devastating.
I've been feeling very sorry for myself. The idea of driving anywhere with Willie in the car with our family is impossible, as he heals from his latest, very real, trauma. Thus the journey to Connecticut to celebrate Passover with my large, extended family, a yearly tradition, was squashed.
You can ask any Special Needs parent again, do they ever learn anything wonderful from having their Disabled child in their life? Sometimes the answer is yes.
I was going to skip doing a home Seder entirely, as my husband is out of town, and I just don't have the energy. My 14-year-old daughter, however, yesterday told me she had other plans. And so I went to the grocery store to gather the items for the Seder plate and for making Charosets, (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charoset )a time honored tradition and necessity for any Seder. I then taught that lovely girl had to make that Charosets. We assembled the Seder plate. She is in charge of leading what will mostly be a very short Seder.
I'm done feeling sorry for myself. Sure, I miss all my lovely family celebrating Passover tonight, I will miss all those amazing traditions, songs, and inside jokes. But thanks to Willie, my daughter has made what could've been a sad evening, something full of hope. Her middle name is Hope. She lives up to that word every single day.
Oh honey -
ReplyDeleteI spent last night providing long distance support for a friend who actually attempted to join a 15-person seder with her very sensory-sensitive autistic son...
We have decided that NEXT year we will have our own extremely low key seder.
Can you start planning NOW for something that will be able to be both inclusive and heart-lifting for you?
We can't let this stuff sneak up on us ;)
Thanks and love,
Full Spectrum Mama