His name is Colin
and he’ll melt your heart
(trust me, I’ve experienced it firsthand)

He sits two seats away from Andrew
in a classroom filled with few conversations
and even fewer friendships
yet somehow
they managed to find each other
CHOOSE each other,
and form a bond
(Hold on. I need to grab a tissue. Maybe you should grab one too)

We met at a local park today
for a very long
overdue
playdate
complete with a picnic

and a round of
hide and go seek

It was hard not to cry every five seconds as I witnessed Colin and Andrew on the playground.
Sure,
there was a ton of redirection
and stimming
and sometimes they were on opposite ends of the playground, absorbed in their own little worlds until we intervened and helped them stay focused.
But there was also a ton of laughter
and squeals
and lots
and lots
of hugs
And Ian.
Oh man.
That kid is something else.
I love seeing him interact with other special needs kids
because he is so accepting
so loving
so helpful
And he was genuinely happy for Andrew and helped the boys play together

Of course
the kids weren’t the only ones having a great time.
One of the best parts of the playdate
was that
I made a new friend too.

We’ve already set a date for next week.
Hot chocolate.
Whipped cream.
Big smiles.
Here’s to friendship
and remembering that
EVERYONE deserves to have a friend and to be a friend.
Friendship comes
in all shapes, sizes, and abilities.
But the end result is always the same:
A warm and fuzzy feeling
that starts in your heart
and leaves you giddy with joy.
So cheers Andrew and Colin; may your friendship continue to grow and blossom
and may this just be the beginning
of something
beautiful.
Wow Jo! My heart is so full of joy for you and Andrew and Colin and his mom. I long for the day when Franklin will even be aware that another child wants to play with him. And you’re right. I should have gotten a tissue. I love your blog.
This is such a beautiful story of what friendship means and how even one friend can make such a huge difference in a persons life. I am so happy for you and for Andrew.
Wonderful smile. Mine I mean 🙂
aw! Thanks so much hon! It made me smile too!
It is so true Michelle. Friendship is so vital to our happiness! I have such hope for Andrew!
Thank you so much! You are so sweet. It was a wonderful playdate and I can’t wait to do it again!
Beautiful, amazing, touching, bright and shiny, happy-tear-inducing, fantabulous!
I miss you my friend – you are in my thoughts often! That was an amzing story.