Awareness...it's such a tricky word. I know often times people are thinking, what's this guy talking about, autism awareness. I've heard of autism, what else are they looking for? How can wearing a different color of shirt really make a difference? I've never really had the opportunity to explain it, my concept of awareness, and how it fits the big picture. Here's what I think.
Nearly four years ago, I was a first time parent and had little knowledge of the word autism. Like any normal human being, I had a very predetermined definition of what I thought autism was, and what it would mean for a person to have autism. Oh how little I really knew! Let me tell you, when I heard the word AUTISM being mentioned in regards to my little Elijah, it wasn't ice cream cones and rainbows that were dancing in my thoughts! Was I aware of autism? I sure thought I was, but I was far from understanding of what autism is!
A lot of days have flown off the calendar since that time, and there has been a tremendous number of family, friends, and supporters who have been on this journey with our family since day one. Each and every year, the more we learn about Elijah blows my mind. Notice I said Elijah there, and not autism. That's the first rule of awareness...we must share that if you know one child with autism, you know one child with autism. There are no two children on the specturm that are the same! But that's a post for another day, back to awareness.
Awareness is truly our little groups way of paying it forward. It all started with this little boy, who God blessed us with into this awesome little group. We were given a message, here's your boy, he has autism...now what are you going to do? From day one, we've said that Elijah was given to us because he is a special individual who is going to change the world in a way that Melissa and I could only dream of doing. So the first year, we started a little walk team, and we put in a couple miles in Des Moines with shiny yellow shirts and a pair of bright blue eyes on the front, leading the way. The next year, it grew. There were new events, a barbeque, a pack the park rally in Pocahontas, and a walk and dinner in Storm Lake. The community grew. A record team for the walk in Des Moines.
Then a third year. A bigger walk and dinner in Storm Lake, a bigger pack the park in Pocahontas, more newspaper coverage, another huge walk team in Des Moines, and then live TV with Step Up for Autism at the ESPN X Games.
How did this happen?
One word. YOU. You took the initiative, the challenge to share Elijah's story with your friends, neighbors, any one you came across in April with your blue shirt. But April wasn't enough. You wore your shirts more, and more people asked what it was all about. So you told them. And then they took the initiative, to join Elijah's Project. And a funny thing happened along the way...not only did we all become aware of autism, we became aware of Elijah. Of one story on the spectrum. And along the way, we've had so many other stories come our way. Stories of a bright future for children on the spectrum. Stories of people helping people.
I don't know what the future holds for our family, for that bright blue-eyed boy who warms so many hearts. But I do know that wherever he goes, he will do so in a world full of love, of support, of awareness, and most of all, understanding...because one by one, each of you have taken the challenge to raise your voice, even when Elijah was searching for his, to tell the world that autism isn't something to be feared. You've told the world, we will learn about autism; we will learn to love children like Elijah with autism. And we'll be damned if we don't do our best to make this world the best possible world for them to grow into, to be productive in, to succeed in. To me, that's what awareness is...awareness is tomorrow, an unwritten page in the book of life. And because of you, every tomorrow looks a little bit brighter for my little Elijah. (JR)
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