It was Tall Timber Days in our town here in the Minnesota northwoods, and we had a parade. For two miles, from the fairgrounds and through the old downtown, floats and fire engines, vintage cars and civic groups walked and marched and danced and drove past sidewalks lined with old people in chairs and younger … Continue reading Ben Carried the Banner
Ben
The Cool of the Day
The lowering sun’s light softens as it shifts through the trees, and I come outside to breathe in the cool of the day. The Lord walked with Adam in this slanted light, purples and blues shimmering on the edges of evening. I sense him here, too, keeping company in this golden hour. It is good, … Continue reading The Cool of the Day
The 10%
You came home from work today, excited to tell me who was there and what you did. You dropped your backpack by the front door and gave me a long hug before washing your hands to eat and change for basketball practice. You are one of the 10%. 60% to 90%* of your peers are … Continue reading The 10%
Choices and Limitations
“He’s 3, with 32 years of experience” is how I describe my son Ben these days. Still stymied by tic-tac-toe and overjoyed by a jar of peanut butter, yet he's got over three decades of living under his belt. Last winter we took a long car ride, spent a night in a hotel and took … Continue reading Choices and Limitations
Celebrating the Twos
My son Ben played his heart out last weekend. He and his teammates went to our state’s Special Olympics floor hockey tournament and came home with bronze medals. (Lest you think they are amazing athletes, they won their medals from a group of four teams. Special Olympics forms divisions of four teams each, according to … Continue reading Celebrating the Twos
The Audacity of Disability
My son Ben holds tightly to the tissue-paper torch at his Special Olympics meet. He should be settled in a career by now, I think, raising a family and making his mark on the world. But instead he clutches this small honor like it is the real Olympic torch, eyes bright with the seriousness of … Continue reading The Audacity of Disability
The Assignment I Wasn’t Expecting
My son Ben leans up against me for his morning hug and kiss. He needs my affection, this simple morning routine, to start his day; to confirm the goodness of his existence and the security of my love. He is needy, always. Pleading for peanut butter. For a tattoo. For Christmas. Calling to me from … Continue reading The Assignment I Wasn’t Expecting
Hedgerows and Big Yellow Trucks
A hard rain was falling that afternoon, and I was eager to get home. After a long day of doctor appointments in the city for my son Ben, I loaded up the car with groceries and headed up the twisting road to our home in the mountains. Only a few miles up, however, a large … Continue reading Hedgerows and Big Yellow Trucks
Ribbon Collecting
My son Ben loves competing for Special Olympics, and has a giant collection of medals and ribbons from various meets and tournaments. He participates in eight different sports, and every competition finds him swaggering home with something shiny. The medals and ribbons hang proudly from his bulletin board, the overflow crumpled in his desk drawers. … Continue reading Ribbon Collecting
Under the Tomatoes
My breath came hard as panic pressed on my chest. I stood in the produce section of the grocery store, scanning the aisles, desperate for a glimpse of my towheaded boy. Every parent has been in a similar situation, but most aren’t searching for a nonverbal child who can’t understand when the game has gone … Continue reading Under the Tomatoes
A View of the Lake 