Puzzle. Autism. Love.

There are often defining moments in life that you can look back to that you know changed something about you or the way you think.  For me May 14, 2011, is one of those days.  That was the day that my eyes were truly opened to many things.  One of those things on my heart tonight is the impact that one young boy and a family had on my life.  That day a man that worked with us was in a tragic accident.  He lost his life.  His family lost a loved one.  I witnessed a mom that had to break that heart wrenching news to her children.  One major thing that I remember from that day was the reaction of one of the children, who is diagnosed with Autism, about the death of his father.  Until that point in my life, I had not been around many people with Autism and did not really understand it or know much about it.

Since that day I have been close to others that have children with Autism or other disabilities, attended IEP meetings at school with my friends who needed support, listening to the struggles of friends they have in many areas of life with issues with being treated differently and living with things that many, like myself, can never truly understand.

When trying to come up with a design for our maze, there was only one that kept coming back to my mind.  I knew wanted to have a cause.  A reason behind the design.  The one thing that kept coming to my mind was the Autism puzzle piece and the love that I have for this family and others that I am close to.  Here is a picture of our maze design this year.

It will be sure to stump even those expert maze goers while at the same time bringing awareness to Autism by incorporating puzzle pieces into the maze design.  To us it represents unity.  We are all different in our own ways, but together as a community we make a puzzle and each person has their own unique way of fitting in.  We hope that the families that are impacted by children with special needs are celebrated by bringing awareness about this subject and the challenges that they face.  

My personal challenge to you is to take some time to understand the special needs that families have that have children with disabilities if you do not already, ensuring inclusion and acceptance with appreciation for the uniqueness of all people.  Every life was created with a purpose.  I for one am thankful for those in my life that have opened my eyes and heart for those with special needs.  It has been a-MAZE-ing to do something small in our business to show them our LOVE.  I can only hope that there is a ripple effect and that this will be a fun and safe place for all children and families.

 

Psalm 139:13-16 ~ For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.