Sleeping with One Eye Open: Walk this Way

​The journey to fulfillment for young adults with special needs is long, winding, even endless. But it’s a little less harrowing, and the nights a little less lonely, if you’re willing to walk it with us.

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‘And Reason said to her, “Silence, what do you fear? And she said, “I hear the sound of feet a thousand times…
 
The insistent rhythm of footsteps echoes the drumbeat that has escalated throughout the years. Sean and Luke’s search for a meaningful life reflects what we each want: a social life, a job with purpose and a home.
 
Anxiously seeking solutions, our sons’ footsteps reverberated in our ears as we knocked on doors and pleaded for support, one futile step after another. It was impossible to discern the trail marked by the young adults from those of their tormented parents. Until we declared enough. Enough of looking elsewhere for hope that consistently vanished in the ether of promise.
 
…….Ten thousands and thousands of thousands and they beat this way.’
 
Our sons regularly reminded us they were ready to live independent lives, the cadence of their refrain urged us to pave the way. They became our teachers who instilled the lesson we couldn’t ignore: if we didn’t do something then nothing of consequence would happen. Waiting for outside forces to intervene was a pipe-dream.

Our sons taught us solutions were within our grasp, we simply needed to reach. Riding on their shoulders we jumped without a safety net, our hearts beating with a mixture of fright and excitement. Luke and Sean’s unwavering trust catapulted us into the unknown, and we never looked back.
 
….Lead on….
 
In spite of the excruciating amount of time it took to realize their wish, our patient sons never stopped believing in our ability to accomplish the task at hand, no matter how formidable.  As always, our heroes were right. Their faith and resolute desire empowered us. Stepping in Sean and Luke’s extraordinary footprints created possibilities we could not have imagined.
 
…They are the feet of those that will follow you. ~ Lydia A. Prescott
 
Join us. Thanks to Luke and Sean we now know the way.
www.theextendedfamily.solutions/inspiration.html.