The codger, while first joying in the wonderful commemoration for eight Perry Countians who’d served in the Revolutionary War at our county’s beautiful Veterans’ Memorial and then the amazing fireworks display in the park last Thursday, nevertheless found himself mulling over the daunting tasks we as citizens have before us in the months following this wonderful 250th anniversary celebration. What particularly hit home amid the inundation of incoming “news” of green “ponds”, manufactured vandals, meme coins & assorted attacks on our allies, were two small things close to home over a couple of hours the Sunday before preceded by a wonderful example of a potential solution to the chaos for us: a letter, a sign and the actions of young women in a church pew.
As we sat at Mass that Sunday, we noted a family of four in the pew in front of us. I apologize for calling attention to a family’s personal lives/stories. I hope they’ll forgive the intrusion. The two daughters obviously have certain “disabilities” though educators might more accurately define them as “differing abilities”. The smaller daughter sat next to her sister, who sat hunched over clutching at and repetitively bobbing her head in very apparent discomfort at the beginning of Mass.
It was none of the old codger’s business what her differing abilities were, but it seemed obvious they included the type of sensory sensitivities that generally fall within the autism spectrum. The short story; light, sound, etc. in the environment most of us would take little note of were darned stressful to her. The hard pew, the light, the music, the cantor, the voices of the parishioners were significantly trying to her. Much of this service designed to be a joyous embrace of faith and fellowship was in fact a myriad of spikes of often unendurable torture.
I’ll leave these beautiful young souls for a moment. As we left Mass, my bride called my attention to a letter from our parish’s presiding priest expressing what I’d call a degree of concern, if not alarm that two of our young priests providing integral services to the parish, due to the administration’s new policies restricting immigration, had been told they must return to their “home countries” for some indefinite period of time to reapply for uncertain visas.
Then, heading home, we saw prominently displayed for some unaccountable reason, a large 2024 presidential election banner.
The potential connection for us to contemplate?
That young lady’s life’s been filled with almost unendurable, likely indecipherable, to her; stressors. From my experience, I’m betting she feels her world’s an avalanche of frightening attacks on her comfort and well-being, whether intentional or unintentional. Her habitual responses have included a myriad of struggles to somehow defend herself, often in seemingly irrational, dysfunctional ways. Sound in any way familiar? But Sunday, seemingly miraculously, buoyed by her dear sister’s compassionate understanding and interaction, she gradually took her hands from about her head and courageously stood, head up and appeared to begin engaging functionally in the service.
A few lessons for us all to contemplate for the coming months?
Don’t assume that because something just seems to impact “them”, it won’t begin impacting a whole bunch of “us” as well.
Dysfunctional and destructive behavior or an overt defense of same probably ain’t going to accomplish anything useful.
Loving care and support for others not only helps them but can benefit pretty much everyone willing to invest in and/or applaud it.
Every one of us has differing abilities. And, if we have the courage individually and maybe collectively to work to identify and then face up to our short- or long-term stressors, we may be able to get past significant unproductive, potentially self-destructive repetitive behaviors and move forward productively both individually and even more importantly, as citizens of this beautiful, God blessed republic. Here’s wishing us all a safe, sane and collaborative next 250 years!
