It's movie night at the frat house. Yes, Frat House. That's what I call my house. You see, I am just but a singular damsel surrounded by loud and overbearing testosterone. Ok, It's just a fancy way of saying I am just but one girl in a house of boys. See, I have been blessed with two beautiful boys. They are my life, my heart and my very reason for being.
As we cuddle under the blanket waiting for our movie to start, I can't help but think about these two that I love so much and their unique relationship. You see, my boys barely talk to each other. At all. No hellos, no goodbyes, no hey there, nothing. Weird huh? They honestly barely talk at all. The most exciting thing about this is that they are best friends, two peas in a pod.
My boys love each other to death, and try as you might, you cannot separate these two. Their love is a unique kind of love. A different and special kind of love that some of us can only dream of experiencing. So how do they communicate? Well, I wouldn't be able to explain it to you even if I tried. I am also still trying to figure it out.
It's like they have their little language in their little world. I often hear my boys when they run off to play together. They will usually be laughing at the top of their voices, jumping or screaming and finishing each other's songs, like they're doing now as they sing along to the songs from Trolls. If you ever want to experience bliss, listen to the sound of children laughing. That sound is filled with so much pure innocence and joy.
I love how my boys love each other, how they only need to look at each other and communicate. For me, their friendship and love are answered prayers. Giving our oldest child a sibling was the best gift we have and will ever give him. His baby brother has brought so much excitement and joy into his world that it gets me emotional just thinking about it.
Our oldest, Zeezol, was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder when he was just three years old. According to the American Psychiatric Association, Autism is a complex developmental condition that involves persistent challenges with social communication, restricted interests and repetitive behaviour.
Zeezol doesn't have many words and is what doctors may refer to as semi-verbal. He is now beginning to speak more to us through constant and thorough intervention and is doing amazingly well at school. His birth and the fact that he is still with us is a miracle in itself. I'm not going to lie and say that all our days are rosy and bright and not filled with worry. I sometimes get exceedingly anxious about his future when I have moments when I wonder if there is more we could be doing for him.
However, the beauty of all this is that Zeezol has a little brother that could care less about all this autism talk. He loves and dotes on his big brother and always comes to his defence. He knows Zeezol is his hero, buddy, and playmate for life. We call him Boobear because he has the sweetest, most gentle spirit you can ever hope to meet. He brings so much joy that I could never imagine our lives without him.
Seeing my boys play together without speaking much has taught me about unconditional love. It truly makes me believe that we are all born with love and kindness in our hearts, but life's turmoils mess it up.
Children with special needs-especially those that have disabilities that are invisible to the untrained eye, have a hard time fitting into the world. We need to do our best to accommodate their needs to succeed and be comfortable. This National Institute of Health article states that early intervention and diagnosis can have long-term positive effects on symptoms and later skills. Children with Autism are loving and unique and only need understanding and love to help them thrive.
I pray that Zeezol and Boobear will allow me to join their world one day. Their happy and peaceful world where love does not need any words. It is a beautiful thing, and I am glad to have a front-row view of it all.
Originally published at https://musingsbyclaris.blogspot.com on November 10, 2021.
