The Book of Seven

I'm one of those people who subscribes to the belief that things happen for a reason. I can't say I always know what those reasons are, but I have absolute faith that they do exist.

For instance, I had no preconceived ideas regarding numbers when I began inviting the Spectrum Moms to participate in my book.  Every mom with a kid on the Autism Spectrum who ever chimed in on one of my Walt Disney World "Adventures in Autism" trip reports received an invitation. Some jumped at the chance and others declined, citing privacy issues. (Completely understandable.)

When all was said and done, six women agreed to participate in the book. Counting my own, that makes SEVEN stories to tell.

Interesting thing, that number seven. As schoolchildren we learned that when you separate visible light with a prism it forms a spectrum of seven colors. When the sun shines onto droplets of moisture in the Earth's atmosphere, that spectrum takes the form of a rainbow.

I can still recall the mnemonic device our science teacher taught us so we would remember them: Richard Of York Gained Battles In Vain (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet.) The rainbows we drew as children had seven bands of color, neatly layered on top of one another in an upside-down U, surrounded by puffy white clouds and a sun with a smiley face. In reality, the human eye perceives the bands of misty water colors as one ephemeral blur. Like the seven colors of the rainbow, each child's autism defies precise definition.

Seven Spectrum Moms ~ Seven Colors on the Spectrum. That's telling, don't you think? I'm taking it as a good omen for the book. The number seven is considered to be a highly symbolic, divine number.

Think about it:

• The seven days of creation.
• The seventh day is the Sabbath.
• The seven branches of the menorah.
• The walls of Jericho fell on the seventh day after marching around the city seven times. 
• The seven loaves Christ multiplied.                    
• The seven last words (or sayings) of Christ on the cross.
• The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.
• The seven Sacraments in the Catholic Church.
• The seven Chakras in Eastern philosophies.
• The seven levels of Heaven in the Islamic religion.
• The seven steps Buddha took at birth.

...and the list goes on...

I have to admit, I'm feeling really good about that number. After all, Walt Disney had a lot of luck with the number seven!

Kathy

The Incredible Super Powers of the Disney Spectrum Moms!

The Spectrum Moms at Disney's Hollywood Studios

with characters from Disney/Pixar's The Incredibles

To the casual observer we blend in among the general population, our true identities unrecognized. We do not wear masks or capes. We look like typical moms and as a group, we're fairly average. Some of us are stay-at-home moms, others are out in the workforce: a nurse... a bookkeeper... a librarian ....an office worker.  Unless you saw us with our children you would never guess that we are Super Moms who, by necessity, continue to hone and improve our incredible Super powers with each passing day. 

We are mothers of children on the Autistic Spectrum.

We may be smiling in the photo, above, but make no mistake: we are tough. We kick Autism's butt every day.


Like Helen, the matriarch of the Parr Family, we were happy to live quiet, unassuming lives. We kept our powers under cover. Then a Syndrome named Autism came along and forced us into action. Our children needed to be saved, so we reached deep down and found the super powers hidden inside.


Like ELASTIGIRL: We found the amazing flexibility needed to parent a child with frequent mood swings, odd/obsessive behaviors, and extreme sensitivity to sensory stimulation. We use our power of flexibility to help us balance the needs of our typical children with those of our children on the Spectrum. (Especially useful when preventing them from killing each other!)

Like MR. INCREDIBLE:  We discovered the strength... physical, spiritual, and emotional... needed to battle society's villains: Ignorance, Intolerance, and Indifference, as well as the inner demons of Depression, Hopelessness, Isolation, and Fear. We recognize that we can't do this alone, and we seek out and accept the support of family and friends so we remain strong.


Like DASH: We can move fast! When we see a situation escalating into a meltdown, we take charge. We can safely exit a crowded mall or grocery store in thirty seconds flat!


Like VIOLET: We developed the power of invisibility; our personal needs and desires disappear and those of our children come first. We choose to see our children's abilities, not their disabilities, and to view them not as autistic children, but as children who just happen to have autism.We form a protective force field around our children, giving them security in the knowledge of our unconditional love.

Finally, like JACK-JACK: We have the power to turn sweetness into steel. We will not bend when it comes to getting our children the services they need. Oh, and if someone ever tries to hurt our kids... well... have you ever seen what a flaming devil-baby can do?

  

Kathy, aka Super Spectrum Mom #1