pure hearts

I have an uncle with autism who is severely mentally and physically handicapped. Physically he has developed the skills of a child who is a year and a half and cognitively he has developed as far as a three month old. He cannot speak. His walking is unbalanced. And he still wears diapers.

However, my uncle Stewie is among those greatest, those purest souls upon the earth. Sent here only to serve by teaching us. Like mother earth, he lives up to the full measure of his creation and he shall indeed inherit eternal life. I look at my uncle and am so grateful for the honor of knowing him. Of loving him. Of being loved by him.

Uncle Stewie (Choo-Choo) has the smile of sunshine. The chiseled cheekbones of a sculpture. And the heart of an angel. I am so grateful that when I was a little girl, we used to live with my grandmother mayse. During this period of my life we used to see him at least once a week. He would come over every sunday after church and we would play, and rock in the rocking chair (or fight over it...I was very young), and when it was time for dinner he would steal my chocolate milk and we had lovely rainbow sherbet or ice cream, he would sometimes try to steal that too. He loves ice cream! And anything on the plate, in the hands, or on the head of the person next to him. :)

Why am I reminiscing??

I work very long days. 10 and a half hours to be precise.

They are very long, tedious, soul-wearying days which completely wipe me out. However, I am given so many little miracles throughout the day so that just when I think I will not last the day, something happens to raise my spirits and help me keep going.

Today, this was a little girl. She was tiny. She used a walker and still got on very slowly. And her aura was so like that of my uncles. Her's seemed to be infused with pure joy!

The moment I saw her I felt I knew her. Her mother was getting her mentos which weren't so much a "fresh-maker" as a "joy-maker)...she was soo happy!! Her enthusiasm was contagious.

I had the impulse to go blow up a couple of balloons for her (as I have such discretionary helium available). When I came out to give her the balloons, she treated me as if I had just given her the world. How grateful am I that this pure little spirit lit up my world today. :)