In Thanksgiving
By Cathy Jameson
I had an entirely different post prepped and ready to send to Kim for this weekend. Halfway home from our Thanksgiving vacation, though, I thought I’d rather keep this Sunday’s post about the recent holiday we celebrated. From start to finish, our holiday away was good! It was also stressful, long, and absolutely exhausting. Oh, the stories I could tell you about Ronan, who travels like a champ but who slept hardly a wink! But that’s for another day. For today, I wanted to continue to give thanks.
Because of the people we encountered along the way, our vacation was actually very good.
Because of their patience with Ronan, we were encouraged.
Because of their understanding of the great needs he has, we were grateful.
Because of their desire to serve others, we were all very well taken care of.
And those are just the strangers we met along the way!
To everyone who saw Ronan and who gave him the time and assistance he needed, thank you.
To the porters, flight attendants, and crew on the planes and the ferryboat who treated Ronan with respect, our world is better because of you.
To the specific people who hosted us and showered us with kindness and with generosity, and who filled our bellies with traditional Thanksgiving dinner, thank you!
To the extended family who joined us that night, what a gift to spend time with you.
To the friends we did get to see, even if just for a few hours, thank you for the grand conversations and the chance to laugh a happy laugh.
To those family and friends we didn’t get to see but who kept in touch with us via text, email, and facetime while we were away, we missed you! We love you! We thank you always for being part of our crazy, busy life.
To those reading this, the freedom fighters and the believers, thank you for coming back daily to read the news here and to share your thoughts on what’s going on out there in the world. I find such strength in this community, strength to keep going even (and especially) when life is crazy and busy and so very tiring. For years, we’ve come here to learn, to share, and most especially, to help each other. Help has come in all forms – useful links shared, encouraging words expressed, and the promise to never give up. We’ve been able to be brutally honest about what’s happened to our children. We’ve had countless conversations about the hot topics that other communities wouldn’t dare have. Together, I think, we’ve helped make a difference. That’s been incredible to see, and I am so grateful for that.
As I wrap up an exhausting and very good week, I hope that your Thanksgiving was good, too. I hope that you found some time to refresh your soul. I hope that in the midst of all the things that may have happened, that you also had some moments of peace. Life can be so much better when there is peace.
Cathy Jameson is a Contributing Editor for Age of Autism.
Always a pleasure to host Ronan and his entourage! If I could have given you anything more, Cathy, it would have been 8 hrs of continuous, blissful sleep.
I thank God for Ronan’s mother and father, his siblings, and all the people who serve you.
Posted by: MamaBear | November 28, 2021 at 02:49 PM
This Thanksgiving I am so very thankful for AoA community .. as I have been for the prior 21 years.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL
Posted by: Bob Moffit | November 28, 2021 at 12:46 PM
God bless you, Cathy. I don’t know how you do it. Just the thought of taking our son on a trip that involves a crazy airport, long wait times, sitting on a crowded airplane for hours is enough to give me heart palpitations. So, we never go anywhere together as a family. There are worse things that people suffer, so this Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for what we can do and not dwelling on what we can’t.
Posted by: Marie Simonton | November 28, 2021 at 12:14 PM