Last month James’ speech therapist did a great lesson on Christopher Columbus.  It had all the components of a good lesson because first of all the whole idea of setting out in a wooden ship 500 years ago into unchartered territory is fascinating and second, there is a lot to imagine and think about regarding all of life’s journeys, historical and famous ones, and the regular ones like our own.  Elizabeth got James thinking about the fact that Columbus didn’t find what he expected and asked him to write about that.

“Describe an event when things did not go according to plan.  What did you do to navigate unexpected changes in plan?  How did the event turn out?”

SOMETIMES THINGS DO NOT TURN OUT AS PLANNED HOWEVER, THEY OFTEN HAVE A WAY OF WORKING OUT.  I AM AN EXAMPLE OF THIS PRINCIPLE.  I AM SURE I AM NOT THE CHILD MY PARENTS EXPECTED.  I DON’T THINK ANY PARENT EXPECTS TO HAVE A CHILD WITH AUTISM.  I THINK THAT EVEN THOUGH I WAS NOT WHAT MY PARENTS EXPECTED I HAVE MADE MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO MY FAMILY.  I THINK MY FAMILY HAS HAD TO LEARN TO GET ALONG AS A TEAM.  I THINK MY FAMILY HAS BECOME CLOSER BECAUSE OF MY AUTISM.  I WOULD NOT WANT MY LIFE TO BE ANY DIFFERENT THAN IT HAS BEEN.