Recently there has been a Facebook post written by an actor named Kelvin Moon Loh circulating through general media. To sum up for those who haven't heard he has defended the mother of an autistic boy who interrupted a Broadway show of 'The King and I' and his words are such a relief and blessing for myself and (I'm sure) many other families dealing with an autistic member.
I do highly recommend reading his original post, so HERE is a link to an article that features it.
Reading this article I just felt a desperate need to express how profoundly thankful I felt for such compassion in a form that was solid and permanent, there's just this feeling of gravity that follows putting your gratitude onto paper. (Well, virtual paper.) So here goes an open letter.
Kelvin,
Your post inspired the kind of thanks that welled up inside of me until it almost spilled over in tears. It's the kind of thanks I feel every time my brother does something inappropriate, or rude sounding, in a public place and I open my mouth to say;
"I'm sorry he's autistic",
only to be cut off with understanding and friendly smiles.
It's the kind of thanks I feel when I have friends come to my house for the first time, and they offer to play video games with him or count out his large collection of rubber ducks, instead of freak out when he tries to ruffle their hair or pick them up.
It's the kind of thanks I feel when I look at my large, supportive family, both in relation and in church, talking to him about his day and trying to encourage him into good conversational habits. And, perhaps most importantly, it's kind of relief that I experience when I realise how very lucky we are to live in a time where he has (for the most part) safety, love, and a future that doesn't just see him locked away in a cruel institution that sees him as a burden.
It never ceases to amaze me how my mum refuses to be buffeted by how difficult my brother can be in some situations, or how negative people can be towards him when he is. She always puts herself out there and does whatever it takes to give him the normal experiences of life, despite the fact he'll often laugh at quiet moments during a movie, or call every male he meets 'boy!', she won't allow society to force him into hiding simply because he doesn't conform to their norms.
And that is why my heart aches so much for the poor mother of that child. She is the mother that will not let her child's differences prevent him from having a full life, even if others around her don't always seem to approve. I so desperately hope she has seen your beautiful post because the kind of support you have generated is so needed for carers who have felt this pain of people just not understanding.
So once again, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.
One very grateful sister. :)
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