By Joe Mazzella
I took my two special needs sons in for their yearly physical recently. Neither one of them enjoys doctor’s visits. I think mainly it comes from having their blood drawn so many times over the years. Still, things went well. Both of them had lost weight since we cut back on the junk food in our diets. In fact, I felt a twinge of envy when I saw how low and healthy my youngest son’s blood pressure was.
What amazed me the most about this visit, though, was watching my oldest son. In spite of being nervous he chatted cheerfully with the nurse as she weighed him and took his blood pressure. And he did the same with the doctor when she came in to check his heart and lungs with her stethoscope. Then after the visit was over he gave her a present of a key chain he had made with beads. Just as we were leaving too he gave her a hug which she accepted with a mixture of surprise and delight. And as we walked back outside I thought to myself that my son has one of the healthiest souls I have ever seen.
My son may be mentally challenged but he is spiritually wise. He gives love freely, openly, and unconditionally. He celebrates each day and spreads all the joy he can. I only wish that I could love as purely and beautifully as he does. I know that God and all the angels in Heaven must be smiling as they look down on him.
The ancient Egyptians believed that when you died you would be asked two questions. The first was, “Did you bring joy?” The second was, “Did you find joy?” I know for sure that my son’s answers to both would be “Yes” because deep inside his soul he knows that finding joy in life and bringing it to others are one and the same. He knows that finding Love in life and sharing it with others are one and the same. I pray that one day we all learn this as well.