Thinking of Others First

An instructor has left one of N's after school programs under uncomfortable circumstances (the who, what, and where are not my story to tell, so I apologize for vagueness). This will affect N, since this person is both his instructor and has children in the program as well, including a boy named Keith in N's class. And so as we headed there today, I relayed the news to him.

I had, mind you, talked to several friends with children in the program as well, and we'd talked and discussed and dissected and gossiped, mostly about how it would affect us and/or our children, and how we ourselves felt about it. I, I, I, I said. Me, me, me.

N's first comment, on the other hand? "Oh, no. I feel really sad for Toni. Keith is her best friend. She's going to be very sad."

Once again, and please say it with me…Autistic people lack empathy MY ASS. *I* lack empathy; there are so many things, places, and people that I am simply OVER these days.

My kid, on the other hand, DEFINES empathy. I have tons to learn from him.