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By: Joseph J. Mazzella
YEEEE! The sound jarred me out of my dreams on a cold, Winter’s
night. I sat up, threw aside my blankets, and fumbled for my glasses in
the dark. I opened my bedroom door and saw a light coming from the
bathroom. I knew then that it was my youngest son, Casey.
Casey has had a severe form of Autism all of his life. He speaks only a
few words and is bound by his daily routines. Small changes that we
handle easily feel like the end of the world to him. Sometimes when he’s
upset he will cry uncontrollably, scratch his face, or hit himself.
This time, however, I knew from the noise he was making that he was
happy. He was engaging in his favorite Winter pastime, sitting on the
closed toilet seat while warming his feet on the heating vent next to it.
I walked into the bathroom and said, “It’s late son. Time to go back to
bed.” Then I leaned over, kissed his forehead, and looked into his eyes.
At that moment something happened that touched me to my soul. Suddenly,
there was no Casey and no me. There was only light. I felt like I was
floating on a lake of love and joy
surrounded completely by a Divine
presence. It was a moment of perfect peace. Then I blinked
and when I opened my eyes again
there was only my son smiling up at me.
I
think that for a moment God had allowed me to see a glimpse of my son’s true
soul, unlimited by his handicapped mind. I knew that it was one far
brighter, stronger, and more loving than my own. I felt so blessed being
able to see it. I thanked God again for my son while I watched him walk back
to his bedroom.
For all of human history the mentally handicapped have been looked down upon in
our societies. They have been ostracized, tormented, neglected and
ignored. Yet the truth is they are the best souls among us. They
are here on a special mission from Heaven to teach us about love, patience,
compassion, and selflessness. They are here to help our own souls to grow
in beauty and light. They are a blessed gift from God and we should
accept them all, welcome them into our hearts, and embrace the lessons they
teach. May we always do so.
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