This morning on Facebook, I saw a story that my former organization signed an agreement to continue its relationship with Special Olympics of Connecticut to support and grow the Unified Sports program in Connecticut schools. I have written extensively in the past about my deep, and abiding love for Unified Sports and it was a welcome start to the day to see that Declan and kids like him will continue to have those wonderful opportunities for inclusion.
Later in the morning, I took Declan to Mount Southington ski area where a group of volunteers and organizers helped him to take part in an adaptive ski program. He was then thrilled to get home and be welcomed by his sweet puppy, Sunny, which we were fortunate to get through an organization that breeds therapy dogs for autistic children. His afternoon featured a visit to his behavioral therapy clinic, where dedicated professionals work extensively with him on addressing his behavioral challenges.
Tomorrow evening he has his first yoga class specifically for children with special needs which is sponsored by our town Parks & Recreation department. Bringing him to the class will most likely be one of our caregivers who I found through an organization that helps search and screen helpers for children with special needs and who has helped us find individuals who are invaluable to us.
On Friday, after another of his former helpers surprises him by coming to town to spend time with him this weekend, Declan will go to his therapeutic horse riding lesson where he will get — yet another — special, and highly beneficial experience.
There is not one thing easy about having a child with Declan’s challenges. Not one single thing. It’s a battle everyday. A no-holds barred, energy sapping slog. It’s never easy. Sometimes it’s just a little less hard.
On days like today, this fairly remarkable sequence of events for his next few days made it clear that the days when it’s a little less hard, it’s because there are a whole lot of people finding big and small ways to ease the burden. It would be foolish to not recognize that as hard as things are, and can be, we are immensely fortunate to be doing this at a time when these people and organizations recognize the challenges and are striving to make things less hard a little more often.