This past week has been one of the hardest for us. Six different times, police officers have had to come to our home because my son’s meltdowns turned into full rages. With so much negativity surrounding law enforcement these days, I want to share something different.
These officers walked into our home not knowing much about autism, but they came with open hearts. They listened, they learned, and most importantly, they kept us safe. They asked so many questions because they truly wanted to understand and make sure they didn’t do the wrong thing.
Today’s meltdown happened because John wanted to dress like Joe from Blues Clues and I could not find the exact shirt anywhere. After things settled, the officers did something I will never forget. They went out, bought a blue shirt, and with Jenn’s fabric markers they tried to make it look just like Joe’s.
The shirt did not turn out the way John hoped, but the effort these men put into it made them heroes in my eyes. To see three officers sitting together, carefully drawing on a shirt for my son, showed me a kind of compassion the world doesn’t see enough of.
Sometimes being a hero is not about a big rescue. Sometimes it is about showing kindness to a boy who just wants to feel understood.
Credit to Sherry Lynn Hillard