Mums

     Every once in a while and not often enough, I get together with a couple of friends. We share a meal, maybe coffee or a drink and talk about our lives: our children, husbands, jobs and extended families. There is an easiness and a familiarity that makes these visits so appreciated by me. We laugh and sometimes cry but usually laugh. This time together is a treat that I look forward to profoundly. 

     We met at Special Olympics or Challenger Baseball I think. There are always many mums and dads at these games, bringing their kids, staying to watch, connecting with other parents and family members. The parents who volunteer as coaches are the ones I hold in the highest esteem. I am truly humbled by all these folks and their resilience and courage. Parenting a child who uses a wheelchair, leg braces or one who is profoundly autistic seems beyond my capabilities. This is where we met.

     The women I befriended have daughters like me; their girls have similar skills and challenges. And when the idea for a book club for our daughters came up we all agreed. It would be the perfect way to expand our kids’ reading skills, social skills and have fun at the same time. Brilliant eh? It is. Our daughter loves it and looks forward to our get togethers which have expanded to include birthday dinners and a Christmas cookie exchange. They are her friends. And by keeping it small we have kept it doable and relatively easy to schedule.

     I look forward to any chance that we mums have to be together. There is something about being with people who get it that is so comfortable and supportive. We talk about our challenges and our triumphs, the worries and the rewards of parenting disabled young women. It is not easy at times. But every time I leave one of these gatherings I feel lighter, brighter, more able. And that makes all the difference.