--- title: Hey, She's Pretty Good At That! description: The local deli man helped David and Mercedes Rizzo recognize God's wondrous work in their daughter Danielle. --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2015/09/23/hey-shes-pretty-good-at-that#) # Hey, She's Pretty Good At That! Sep 23, 2015 9:30:47 AM  |  by [David and Mercedes Rizzo](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/david-and-mercedes-rizzo) [![Danielle loves to swirl paper](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Danielle-with-paper-536x400.jpg?width=536&height=400&name=Danielle-with-paper-536x400.jpg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Danielle-with-paper.jpg) Danielle loves to swirl paper! Copyright 2015 David and Mercedes Rizzo. All rights reserved. “Hey, she’s pretty good at that,” said the man as he reached across the deli counter with a slice of provolone cheese in his hand. The cheese was for our daughter Danielle, who stood next to our shopping cart waving a long strip of crepe paper like a flag. The paper would move through the air in swirls and figure eights like in a parade or pageant. The man behind the deli counter was quite impressed by Danielle’s virtuosity in this regard. For some reason Danielle likes to wave long strips of paper through the air in patterns. It’s one of the many mysteries surrounding her life as a child with autism. She cannot tell us why she does this or what it means. But we can see the intent look in her eyes as they follow the paper’s trail and the smile on her face, brimming with delight. Until that moment we had never realized that there was a marvelous quality in Danielle’s paper trails. Frankly, we were a little embarrassed by the behavior. We saw it as a “sensory stim,” something neutral at best, or even something undesirable to be worked on by her therapists to extinguish. We think the deli man understood something we had not. We think he understood what a faith-filled life is all about. This smiling man behind the counter helped us learn better how to see our life with Danielle through a lens of faith, to see the wondrous and magical moments as we go about our ordinary lives. We have come to see such moments as an unfolding of God’s presence.   *Copyright 2015 David and Mercedes Rizzo Photo copyright 2015 David and Mercedes Rizzo. All rights reserved. * ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2015%2F09%2F23%2Fhey-shes-pretty-good-at-that%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2015%2F09%2F23%2Fhey-shes-pretty-good-at-that%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2015%2F09%2F23%2Fhey-shes-pretty-good-at-that%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Hey%2C%20She%27s%20Pretty%20Good%20At%20That%21) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2015%2F09%2F23%2Fhey-shes-pretty-good-at-that%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2015%2F09%2F23%2Fhey-shes-pretty-good-at-that%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![David and Mercedes Rizzo](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/Contriubutors/DAVID%20AND%20MERCEDES%20RIZZO.jpeg) ### [David and Mercedes Rizzo](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/david-and-mercedes-rizzo) David and Mercedes write and speak from a faith perspective as parents of a child with autism. They are available to speak, and have appeared on radio and other media. Visit [DavidAndMercedesRizzo.com](http://davidandmercedesrizzo.com) to learn more. Follow them on Facebook at [Autism With The Rizzos](https://www.facebook.com/pages/Autism-With-The-Rizzos/281489198616138?ref=tn_tnmn). Authors of *Praying For Your Special Needs Child*, (Word Among Us Press) and [*Spiritually Able* and *The Adaptive First Eucharist Preparation Kit*](http://www.loyolapress.com/search-result.aspx?s=rizzo) (Loyola Press). ## Related Blog Articles [ Where Is My Brother? Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2016/08/24/where-is-my-brother) [ In God's Image Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2016/11/30/in-gods-image) [ The Eye Exam: Patience and Progress Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/the-eye-exam-patience-and-progress) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! 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