Dear Mama Whose Son Has Cerebral Palsy,

Dear mama whose son has cerebral palsy,

I see you Monday-Friday at the therapy center.

I'm often chasing my autistic son speed like lightening around the center, while you and your son walk in slowly and carefully.

I watch you lower your son, off the ramp extending from your van.

I watch you place his hands on his walker.

Then his feet.

When you and your son walk toward the door,

you both seem aware of how his heal needs to connect to the ground to push forward.

I notice your son always wears matching socks.

His shoe laces are always tied.

His nails groomed.

His hair parted. 

My children rarely arrive with all things cared for.

I think about you two often.

I think about how many steps it would take to just put one sock on one foot.

The way you both have to arch your bodies in such a way to make the mundane work.

 You and your son are a walking masterpiece of love.

 I admire you.

And one of these days, between chasing Dublin and exchanging eye contact at the door way I'm going to figure out how to tell you just this.

April 18, 2016