Will

If the earth were to take me today, my death rattle would peacefully sigh out the sounds of satisfaction that only someone who fought for her life could make.

In those last breaths, I will remind myself that I fought the best battles for my colleagues, students, friends, family, husband and children.

I will remind myself that I fought myself to put up a fight for myself.

I never stopped fighting.

If my children learn nothing from me at all other than that to have the will to live, you must have the will to fight for others and for yourself, then the outcomes of my life purpose have been met.

While I don’t think the earth is taking me anytime soon, I know that if I, when I, YOU will remind my children to keep fighting because this is why YOU are here. YOU are part of my WILL. When I go, YOU will support this cause. YOU will support my son. I can not leave all of my children’s needs to one single person or family because that person or family would need much more support. YOU will change dialogues about autism. YOU will advocate for change. YOU will vote for measures that organize and finance opportunities for disabled children and adults to lead happy, healthy lives. I will you, as part of my online community, to be their support, to commit yourself to being a part of their fight, even when I no longer have the mind, or even fingers to write.

Because when the earth takes you, I want your death rattle to peacefully sigh out the sounds of satisfaction that only someone who fought for his/her life could make.

In your last breaths, I want you to remind yourself that you fought.