Carl has literally been kicked off his precious couch. All week, Eli, our grandson, has been staying with us which means Carl doesn’t get first bids on the place he calls his. But that isn’t the only thing that has had to change. All of us, including Carl have had to change our perspective.
Eli sees life through a different lens than most people. He has a touch of Autism that impacts not only how he encounters life but how everyone around him does. If you haven’t had the good fortune to spend time with someone with Autism, I have to tell you that you are missing out!
As a special educator, I was blessed to spend entire days with children that have a “seat on the rainbow”. These incredible little people taught me so much about how to live life to the fullest. But in order to encounter the blessing, you MUST take off your conformity glasses. I can promise you that if you keep them on, life becomes one entangled mess. But if you are willing to go a bit out of your comfort zone and let go of your own reigns, you will experience a side of life that is only available to a select few.
Just the other day, my husband took Eli for a bike ride. When he returned he gave me a taste of this other dimension. The first woman that they encountered on their ride was a woman that greeted Eli with “good morning”. So of course in Eli’s mind, that was what you do. So every person he rode past on the trail received a “good morning”. It didn’t matter if they returned the salutation or not. Or even if they grumbled or gave an awkward look. The rule was “good morning” and Eli kept it every single time.
God has blessed us with many different kinds of people in this world. Jesus embraced the ones that we might tend to dismiss or turn away from. But if you would take the time to take off your own conformity glasses and try and see people like Jesus did, you might be blessed like we have been.
As for Carl, he has been very patient and willing to give up his spot for Eli. He has even realized that there is a benefit to having our little house guest around. With extra pets and a warm body to snuggle up against, Carl has also been blessed by our guest.