Hey, Mr. Boo! Did you know it is your big day? You are 18 years old today. Furthermore, you were born on June 18, making this your golden birthday. Even more exciting, June 18 is Autism Pride Day. How did you know to be born on this day? You are so clever.
You have been my ray of sunshine for 18 years. Even when life has handed you lemons (nights of back to back seizures) you still come out smiling. You wake up with a smile every morning and each day is a new adventure. You are fairly easy to keep happy. You love your early morning snuggles with mom and Gloria. You like to go for long walks with mom and Alissa. You and Peter like to go driving in the car, foraging for the perfect slice of pizza or bowl of noodles. You love it when your daddy tickles you. You like to tease your sister. Dips in the pool and the hot tub are also loads of fun. You like to buy snacks at Wendy’s and go to the park and eat them. You don’t really care about clothes or money, success or prestige. You care if people are good people and are kind to you and their fellow humans. In height, you tower over me, but you still like to sit in my lap and hold my hand when we cross the street. Boo Bear, you will never be too big or too old to sit on my lap or hold my hand.
Your senior year was interupted by Covid 19, but your wonderful school still managed to pull off the world’s coolest graduation ceremony and you loved every minute of it. You haven’t been able to ride the bus since the beginning of March, but I hope and pray that the bus will stop at our house for you in September and you can begin a new career at Focus Beyond, a transition school right next door to Bridge View. There, you can reconnect with old friends and hopefully make some new ones.
I don’t have the words for the feelings in my heart when I think of you, Mr. Boo. Just know that you will always be my sweet boy, even as you now are growing into manhood. I love you forever and then some more. Love, Mom.
Harriet's Hedgehogs and Autism Advocacy 