As I was answering the phone from Max’s school I thought…maybe the
nurse is calling to let me know I need to pick him up because he is sick or
maybe the teacher wanted to let me know about something that had gone wrong
when he arrived at school. Negative thoughts filled my mind when I answered the
call.
Max says, “Mom get a vase ready…I need a vase.”
I need to hold off on that phone conversation and share what
came in the mail a month ago. A letter from Max’s school.
Here is what the letter said,
“Dear Student;
CONGRATULATIONS! You are scholastically eligible for
membership in the National Honor Society.
Candidates are evaluated on the basis of leadership,
service, character and scholarship; if you wish to be considered for
membership, your application and teacher recommendations will be evaluated by
the National Honor Society officers and adviser, as well as a faculty council.
The faculty council will consider each application and will make the final
decision for membership into the chapter of the National Honor Society.
Membership in the National Honor Society is a significant
academic honor, as well as a personal achievement.
When I read that letter, I thought, they have to be
mistaken. They have made a huge mistake. I question myself under my breath, “My
son who lives daily with Autism who needs occupational and speech therapy? Who was
non-verbal until the age of 5 and needs help with learning how to spell and
still believes in Santa?” Tears formed and poured down my face. They have got
to be mistaken him for another student.
I folded the letter and placed it back in the envelope and
told myself I can’t share this with Max. It would crush him to see they got him
mix up with someone else and I figured he wouldn’t know what NHS was anyway. I
can’t tell you how many years I have seen the honor roll student list come
through my hands and never did I see Max’s name on that list. I have told
myself that Max is already a star because he is amazing in his own way. I don’t
need to see him on an honor roll list to know he is extra awesome. It wouldn’t make
me love him anymore, because I already love who he is.
Who is Max? He is a teenage boy who believes in Christ,
loves baseball, swimming and playing the viola. He loves being a Special
Olympics Athlete and eating the same foods everyday for breakfast and lunch. He
won’t eat any food that is green (he has been that way since he was 2).
Well, the weeks passed and early on a Monday morning I felt
the spirit tell me to call his school and see if they had accidentally sent
that letter to Max. The words “Yes, your son is eligible for NHS.” Made my heart burn and I realized that was the
same day the paperwork needed to be sent in.
When Max arrived home from school I had him fill out the papers.
His second grade hand writing was perfectly placed in the right spots. I don’t
know if Max realized what NHS stands for and why he was filling out the paper,
but I could tell he was thrilled to do so. We spent the next couple of nights
talking about what NHS stands for and my hope was he would be accepted.
Hope and pray was answered when Max finished his phone
conversation with me. “Mom I need a vase for my flower. I got into National
Honor Society. They gave me a letter and everything. Oh Mom get the vase ready.”
My heart was filled with joy.
When he walked in the door he held the flower like it was
the most beautiful thing in the world and the letter was in his hand too. Here
is a part of the letter…
Dear Prospective National Honor Society Inductee;
Congratulations! You have been selected for membership in
the high school chapter of the National Honor Society. The NHS has worked hard
to bring the accomplishments of outstanding students to the attention of
parents, teachers, peers and the community. Chapter across the nation strive to
give practical meaning to the Society’s goals of service, character, scholastic
achievements and leadership.
Unbelievable that Max would receive this letter because when
Max was 4 years old I was told he would never achieve the scholastic abilities
of a child above 3rd grade level. I’m pleased to announce Max is in
all resource classes and taking algebra. He has been out of an all day self
contained class since 7th grade.
For those of you who have a special needs child like my son
Max please don’t let anyone tell you they can’t achieve whatever they want to
achieve. I can honestly say I never believe what the child psychologist told
us. Autism is a different path of life for Max, but he is seeing that he can
reach the same destination as anyone else. Only in a different is type of car
and the speed it travels.
