Poem from a parent of an autistic child
My last blog was about the link to the websote raising money for autism and other charities. My connection to autism is that Tom’s youngest brother is autistic. He is now around 21 or 22 years old. I’m sure we’ll have more about autism in our podcasts and blogs in the future.
Here is a poem that my father-in-law wrote:
What is it like
What is it like to have a child?
Who has needs severe or mild
Preconceived dreams, hopes and plans
Have slipped through my fingers like grains of sand
What is it like, rare as it may be
To sometimes see someone looking just like me
Brief glimpses of a smiling face
But from a far, far, far away place
What is it like as days pass to years?
There are plenty moments that dry your tears
An appropriate comment from out of nowhere
Tells me that there’s a real person in there
What is it like to look thru my eyes?
Concerns about the future, not times gone by
What’s to be when I’m no longer here?
Who will protect him from the fears?
Of people who do not lend a hand
Or from things he just can’t understand
From places that he should not go
From things that he really should know
From dogs or cats or things that are wrong
From an institution where he doesn’t belong
Why do I doubt and have a care
When I know that God’s hand has always been there
He has selected me for this mission in life
To watch and guard this child living the strife
What is it like to have a child?
Who has needs severe or mild
How blessed I am and how really great
To see God’s “special work” and celebrate.
- Thomas G. Andry
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mtmomma,
Glad you liked the poem.
Tom and Tanel will be visiting us in North Carolina next week. They will try to get my wife (the real autism expert) to spend time on a podcast. She is bashful about doing it though. Keep watching this web site.
Regards.
The Father-in-Law.
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That is a wonderful poem!! Brought tears to my eyes!! And it so so true! Please let your father-in-law know I really enjoyed & connected with what he wrote.
I wish I could be as graceful when trying to find the words to let others know what I see & how I feel when helping my child. There are times that I can’t think of what to say, to help them better understand my daughter or what her needs are. And most of all my fears What if I’m not here what will become her?