I just spent the evening watching the “Marauding Swordfish” theatrical production. This production highlighted different groups of teens with special needs, specifically in navigating the social world. The night was spent doing comedy improvisation. The unveiled honesty was so refreshing in a world where Photoshop makes women look perfect and the media feeds us what we want to hear.
This was a night for them to shine. It was their night to be themselves-quirky, funny, and totally honest. I laughed and laughed at their quick wit and ability to speak what was on their mind without worrying what others thought.
As parents, we could not forget the long road behind us that brought us to this night. There was the boy who wouldn’t be alive without modern medicine, the endless years of speech therapy, and the constant advocating to allow our kids to be a part of society in their own way. To us, we knew that this night was nothing less than a miracle and savored each moment.
For me it was a reminder of the need in all of us to be part of the human race. As we strive to be more and more of what we think we need to be, may we never lose sight of ourselves-the part of us that is truly ‘us’. Autism has reminded me to live honestly and authentically, to value the uniqueness of each individual, and to daily celebrate the miracles in our lives.
Thank you “Marauding Swordfish”! You were the best show in town.
