Dreamer aggressively demanded the keys to the car. When he came back into the condo, he dumped a large wooden object onto the sofa across the room. “For you, Grampa”, he said as he backed toward the office doorway and the computer.
It took a bit of coaxing, but he finally brought over to me a wonderfully made hat and coat rack. As I admired it, he explained he’d had help in woodworking shop. I stood to hug him in thanks, “Guys don’t hug!”
He gathered up his cousin, Pixie, from the computer and went out to the car. As I put on my jacket, his step-dad explained. At our Christmas visit Dreamer noticed that my hats and jackets were thrown on various pieces of furniture. When he needed a woodshop project, he decided to make me a place to hang them up.
It was team shift time in a hectic family Easter Feast. The north branch drove the four hundred miles on Good Friday. They needed to drive back on Sunday. So Saturday was loosely organized so that everyone could visit together despite busy schedules. Grampa and the Boys time was up. It was on to Grampa and the Moms for a late lunch at a special outdoor café.
Dreamer has autism. As he grows into manhood, it is no longer a cute little boy saying, ‘I like to go slow’. The uniquely different world he lives in becomes more and more a burden to him, his family and his friends. With patience and love from parents and some wonderful community services, he is making a good transition.
One stark fact stands out – he is a strange young man. Behind that strangeness is an observant, compassionate person. His coat and hat rack was an enormous gift of caring generosity.
As I gathered myself together for sleep after a hectic day, I wondered. The young God/Man Jesus was strange. He observed the failings and needs of those around him. He pointed no finger of blame and shame. His Holy Week action was an enormous gift of caring generosity.
Dare I think of Christ’s Easter Gift as a hat and coat rack upon which to hang up the carelessly flung bits and pieces of my soul!
