The days following hearing the words “Joseph is autistic,” were some of my darkest days. I was living with the deepest pain I had felt in my 32 years of life. It was my first life tsunami. I didn’t know the way out to find the light. It felt like instantly being lost and not knowing which way to go.

I have often heard parents say that they wished they had been given a handbook on how to parent. I can relate to that because more times than I would like to admit I have needed a parenting handbook. I needed help in how to handle sensitive situations without damaging my children.

The heart of the matter is an idiom. When Joseph was in third grade he had several earth angels as his teachers that year. His classroom teacher turned in his name as a candidate for the gifted and talented program. He passed all the markers with flying colors except for one caveat, he also had an IEP (Individual Educational Plan). He was on the autistic spectrum and needed accommodations for his education.

Our summers were both challenging and filled with freedom when Joseph had his summers off from school. We could sleep in, which seldom happened, but at least the option was there. We would play and go see things that I knew he would enjoy.

As I am writing this week's blog, I am watching my son Joseph prepare for a brand new beginning. He is leaving the nest to begin his independent life away from home.

Being a mother is an honor. I love the idea that my children picked me to be their mother. They decided that I would be the one that they would call “mom” during their stay on earth. I believe that my children have been my best teachers in my life. Both have taught me how to be grateful for what is, listen rather than speak, and to love unconditionally.