Teaching Mom
by Mary Ellen Barrett

A few years ago a dear friend called to tell me that our parish was looking for a few more boys for the boy’s choir. Would Ryan like to join? That was a big yes. Ryan's two greatest loves are the Mass and music. To combine them both is his greatest joy. I was, however, very conflicted. He wanted so badly to do this and I wanted him to do it but a room full of boisterous boys? Would he behave? Would he stand out? Would they make fun of him? Quite frankly I was a little panicked.

On the day of the first practice we arrive at the parish music room and there was a parakeet flying loose in the room. No one could figure out how it got there and about ten little boys were whooping and hollering at the poor little thing, chasing it around the room. Ryan is terrified of birds - all animals actually. I thought, "well this is not going to work." I told Ryan that if he was going to be upset by the bird that we would have to leave. If he chose to stay he would have to not pay any attention to the bird. He assured me that he wanted to sing and he would not be afraid of the bird. Frankly, I thought that this was unlikely and that there was going to be some kind of scene involving him, screaming and the bird.

I then told the choir master about his being autistic but gifted musically. I told him that if he felt Ryan was incapable of this I would not bring him anymore. He kind of gave me a funny look and shooed me away. I said a quick prayer to St. Cecilia, patroness of musicians and left.

"He was the best behaved kid here." That was the phrase I was greeted with an hour later when I came back to pick him up. "He was great," said the cantor. They probably thought I was the one with the serious disability. Sometimes I am the more disabled of the two of us.

That Sunday as I sat at Mass and prayed for my oldest child I heard his sweet voice carry over the others and there was such peace in this mother's heart. I was immensely grateful for what God had revealed to me that week. My son was clearly being loved and protected by our Almighty Father and he would always find his way through his prayers, his gift and the Mass. Ryan knew he would be fine and his faith in God showed me clearly that mine was lacking. He is truly my path to heaven.

My son, my teacher.

 

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Mary Ellen Barrett is a home educating mother of seven children.  She writes a column for The Long Island Catholic called Life in Our Domestic Church and speaks at conferences about homeschooling and raising a special needs child. Mary Ellen writes about the daily life and happenings in her Catholic home on her weblog, Tales from the Bonny Blue House (http://maryellenb.typepad.com) and about a Catholic celebration of Christmas at O Night Divine (www.onightdivine.com). She is currently at work on a book about life as a mom of a large family and an Advent Book of Days.