There is an old song and part of the chorus is this:  “But that was yesterday, and yesterday’s gone.”  Yesterday, I wrote of some very sad and alarming news, and the title was: “Yesterday 3/29/12 – CDC says Autism is 1 in 88!!!”  But that was yesterday, and yesterday’s gone…

I also wrote sadly, that these staggering statistics have almost doubled since the CDC began tracking these numbers, a shocking fact that was brought out by the organization, Autism Speaks.  But that was yesterday, and yesterday’s gone…

Then as my tears fell, I tried to type the terrible truth that now, yes now, Autism has been declared an “Epidemic” in the United States.  As I sigh, I think…But that was yesterday, and yesterday’s gone…

I gasped and could barely fathom as I read the report of 1 million children that are now affected with Autism.  And, I scream for the relief of these children and their suffering families…But that was yesterday, and yesterday’s gone…

The anger, the shock, the deep sadness, were all but yesterday, and yesterday’s gone…

Gone?!

Yesterday’s gone perhaps…nonetheless…this news is gut wrenching and a day that will never be forgotten.  However, what needs to be gone, as gone as yesterday, is the paralyzing shock that comes to us when we receive news such as this.  What needs to be gone is any feeling of helplessness and hopelessness.

Lets use this bad news for good shall we…Lets use it as a springboard to spring us into action and do something to stop this gushing wound that is the epidemic of Autism.  Don’t let yesterday discourage you from continuing to move forward!  Don’t let yesterday stop you from continuously cultivating in yourself “hope”!  Do not let yesterday be forgotten…But at the same time, always remember…Yesterday’s gone!!!

Let’s all work hard to make our future “Yesterdays”…better for our children…then as we look back on those yesterday’s…We’ll smile in our hearts, as we say to ourselves:

“But that was yesterday…and yesterday’s gone”.

What does “Anything” mean to you???

“Anything”, according to one dictionary reference holds this meaning: “No Matter What…”or another reference says, “To Any Degree or Extent…”

With this in mind, also consider that “Anything” has different meanings for each of us individually as well.  The degree or extent to which we will go to resolve something,  is vast indeed, according to the variety of people and circumstances.  Our personal strengths and weakness, our upbringing, our environment, etc., all have merit as to what “Anything” means to us, doesn’t it?

However the phrase, “ I would do anything!” is a common one amongst parents of children on the Autism Spectrum.  Why do we feel that way and why are we so heartfelt  and sacrificial in our struggles to help our children.  As parents, it is in our job description to be this way because we love our children with all our hearts and souls…and our children are our whole world.  We would lay down our own life without a second thought, and we do, everyday…every hour…every minute…every second.  Yes, we put our child’s betterment before us and this is our priority of life isn’t it?

The biggest challenge of our struggle to do “Anything” to help our child lies in the fact that we must search out what “Anything” is…

There is no one to tell us that “Anything” is: thus and such…  No, it is up to us to lift up every stone of a very rocky course to find out what “Anything” means for our child.  The Autism Spectrum truly is a world with many more questions than answers and we have to search out those answers as our child’s greatest advocate…there is none greater! 

Autism Spectrum is one of the most difficult challenges to handle because of the lack of this particular disabilities’ concrete nature.  I remember, personally, when one of my children was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 15 months, the nurse saying to me, “This is so difficult to deal with…” and while of course it was difficult, the more difficult disability to deal with was the ASD.  The difficulty was the unknown, the hidden brain of my child…if only I could see it!  I used to think, “If I could just get inside his little mind for only 5 minutes, I would know so much!”

“Anything…”

I have thought oftentimes of the lives of the early pioneers traveling westward for a better life for their families, not knowing what they may face, but having the resolve to face “Anything” for their loved ones.  One thing they had was hope…hope for a better life.  Hope is our hero!  Never turn your back on hope!  

Hope is: 

H –eartfelt

O-ptimisim  

in

P-ursuing

the

E-traordinary

***Will we be determined never to lose hope ourselves?

***Will we have the strength to keep mustering strength?

***Will we swallow our own pride, in order to turn over a criticized and less popular stone of choice for our child?

***Will there be any limits for “Anything”?

***Will YOU do “ANYTHING”???