Ripples of Autism Awareness

By Luke Porpio's Mom
(Maria Ehma Porpio)

“To somebody who most forcibly struck me to the point of realization...  Who has humbled me to know what I am capable and not capable of. Until that moment, I never know myself.

Thank you my dear son, Luke!

Thank you for bearing that disorder that opened our eyes to God’s goodness and grace. You have made me embrace my own flaws and appropriate my strengths to use them to the best of my ability. I love you even before you were not born.”

 –Mommy

The Digger Dash

It was Digger Dash, a fund raising event for my son’s school. 0930 AM at his Kindergarten Classroom. Funny, how much I still remember the character and atmosphere of the place. It seemed like the clock stopped at that moment to give a chance for my memory to engulf. I still remember too, the pain. The mother’s pain of hearing other children say, “Yup, that is Luke and he is crazy!” I know people are somehow bound to say it. It’s not that I’m waiting for it to happen but I know there will be that time; that time when words will lash out and crush me. As this moment is expected… the relentless blow to my core is not. My shoulders drooped and my joyous spirit did too. I wanted to open my mouth and say:

“He is NOT crazy! He has Autism! Autism is a disorder for brain development. This disorder…”

But I did not. Even if I would, I can’t win because they would not understand. They are just kids. 

I allowed my tears to finally find its way to show the world how I really felt. Before I could wipe it fast so nobody would notice, my husband (Luke’s father & our anchor), Jon already did. He felt the pain too but then said, “This is a time for us to celebrate. Let us be the one to celebrate him because nobody knows him better than we do.” I paused and smiled because he was right!

I am his mom and I am willing to bear any attacks thrown at him but I am human too and I get vulnerable, and I cry. But that’s it. I will cry all I want to but I will never wallow in self-pity. 

Then, with all due respect, allow me to rejoice over my son’s genius; for his unspoken genius of which we avoid talking to prevent the notion of bragging.

I celebrate him because he has given us so much joy

I celebrate him because patience is so hard. Sometimes, celebrating is much easier. 

I celebrate him because of whom much is given, much is also required.

I celebrate my son because he is God’s masterpiece!

Autism Awareness in the Classroom

Have you ever had that moment when there’s too much energy, you can’t just sit, you have to do something? Well, it took me days and a good friend to realize that I needed to do something after that event at Digger Dash. Celebrating my son was good for me and my family but I still feel there is more to do.

One of the meetings with the OT, she talked about Luke’s progress and his little need for her services. I agree to discontinue OT but I asked her one final favor like a child making one last wish to the genie, “Can I talk in front of Luke’s class, give them our homemade books and read to them about Luke’s brain and their brains?” She granted my wish and even personally talked to the classroom teacher about my proposal. 

So by next Wednesday, November 5, 2014, I will be spreading awareness in my son’s classroom. Pray for me that the message will bear fruit. 

Our awareness will entail a strategy called “ANGELICA’s Strategy” in honor of my daughter (Luke’s sister) who came up with an idea from watching Arthur in PBS. She made sure to review the whole process so no words like “manufacture” or “inhabitant” will be incorporated, too complex for the kindergarteners to understand. What a blessing to have her!

Here’s what we are going to do (our final copy of the book through the kids drawings will be posted after they’re done):

This is Luke (drawing of Luke).

He looks like you and me but his brain is different. How so? Let me tell you a story.

Imagine crash landing on a different planet (drawing of space ship).

Everything looks different. People in that planet seem to tell jokes even if they’re not, so you laugh with them (drawing of a kid laughing).

But sometimes they seem to sing sad, sad songs too that make you cry (drawing of a kid crying).

You wish the scientists on earth have given you a guide book to this strange planet. But they forgot to pack one. So you have to learn things all on your own.

Maybe there is one thing in that planet that you love to say and do like Chuck E Cheese and you want them to say and do that too because you want to make friends (drawing of friends).

Maybe their Math or Reading in that planet is much easier than that of planet earth so you begin to help other people learn Math and Reading too (drawing of book).

Maybe someday, nobody will think you are crazy and will begin to fit in (drawing of Luke smiling).

My Treasure in this “somewhat” Mundane

I thank God for not giving me the chance to write about what I felt the day this happened. If He did, I could have probably beaten up my computer keyboard typing my emotions ferociously. But then again, I was so busy pacifying my selfish self; I was spent enough to lose time for lunch.

He has given me time to think and act accordingly instead.

He has granted me waves of encouragements from precious friends who have enabled me to start a ripple of Autism Awareness. 

Praise the Lord!