posted May 28th
"If you are a fan of the band Chicago, you may recall a lyric that says, 'everybody needs a little time away'. This is so true."
If you are a fan of the band Chicago, you may recall a lyric that says, “everybody needs a little time away”. This is so true. Recently, my son, my mom and I took a little trip to Montreal. It was a bit of a celebratory trip as our son is graduating from high school next month. It was also just a bit about spending some quality time together.
Speaking purely from my experience and point of view, going on a trip with someone on the spectrum takes some planning. For us, there are a few factors that come into play. First of all dietary issues. Our son does not eat gluten, soy, dairy corn or grains. So you can see that it could be a little harder to find restaurants to eat in. At home, we rarely go out for dinner as there are not too many places where we can go that take all of these dietary considerations into account.
For our trip, I did a little research and with some luck was able to find a few options that we could manage. For the most part, this worked out okay, although there were a few little hiccups. I always bring lots of snacks so that we have these as our “go to" thing. One person (at Subway Sandwiches) kind of gave me a funny look when I asked for 2 chicken breasts and no bread, but oh well, I got what I needed!
It is sometimes nice just to get away from your house where you don’t always have to be on schedule or have a routine. But then for someone on the spectrum routine is a really important thing. Nevertheless, we were able to visit many interesting places during our trip and most importantly, we were able to spend time together.
This trip made me realize that we need to do other little vacays, even if just for a couple of days. It really does rejuvenate your soul when you are able to get out of your daily routine, just take a breath and look at the world. I also appreciated the fact that my mom was able to come with us since she is getting older, it was so great to do this together. It was so very nice to go into an art gallery and just literally stare at all the beautiful paintings - I mean just stare!!! This is unheard of for me to do this!.
I think that God wants us to stop sometimes, get out of our routine and just be - like, be still. We are so used to a fast-paced busy life that quite often we don’t think about this. I must admit that slowing down is extremely hard for me because I always have 10 “to do” lists on the go and it just never seems to end. I always feel extremely mentally exhausted every night when I go to bed. “Be still and know that I am God.”
“Be still and know that I am God,” from Psalm 46:10 is a very appropriate verse for me. I know that God speaks to us when we take time to slow down and listen to him. He speaks to us also through his Word.
As an autism parent, it is hard to slow down most of the time, but I find that when I do, I reap the rewards that God has planned for me.
Shelly Wedge
Exceptional Families Coordinator
Amberlea welcomes and supports all families with exceptional needs, in particular children with autism. It is our desire to support and encourage families right where they are at. Shelly Wedge, our Exceptional Families Coordinator in her blog shares her own journey and offers insight and encouragement for families and how we can come alongside and support each other.