Through the Looking Glass

A Day in the Life of Brayden-   Through the looking glass

I want you to look carefully at the picture below.  At first glance it may not seem like much.  The back of a little boy’s head looking out a dirty window at a yard that desperately needs mowing.

Let me tell you what you are not seeing.  This is a little boy who pulled me by the hand and looked into my eyes.  He nudged my hand toward the door handle.  “Do you want to go outside? “ I ask.  He smiles and hops while his hands do the “more” symbol.  “More and yes” at our house mean the same thing.  I watch him carefully skip/hop on his tiptoes through the tall grass.  I know that he doesn’t enjoy the way it feels on his feet but he sure loves the trampoline.   All the sensory discomfort the grass provides is worth it.  He eagerly climbs up the ladder and starts to bounce.  His brother and sisters are now jumping with him.  I can see the smile on his face and hear the squeals.  Suddenly I see him leap off the trampoline and running across the yard.  If that boy was in the hundred meter dash he would have won.  Chad is on the mower.  I see Brayden run into the house and dive on the couch. He covers up with the towels I was attempting to fold.  After a few minutes he peaks out and wanders over to the window.  I see him check out the yard.  Chad is nowhere to be seen.  He slowly walks toward the patio door but changes his mind.  He breaks out of the house through the garage this time.  I follow him and I see him round the house.  He is heading back to the trampoline.  He is running so fast that his headphones are now dangling around his neck.  He reaches the trampoline just as Chad rounds the corner again.  He makes a sharp u-turn and back to the house he comes and we start the process all over again  As he looks out longingly out the window he has his prize possessions in his hand.  Today it is a bottle of hand sanitizer and a Polly pocket dress.  He clings to them for security.   His ear piece to his earphones is now lying on the table.  They broke last night when he threw them out onto the volleyball court.  I guess they just don’t make things like they used to.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  Like many things at first glance this picture might look like something that you would hit delete on your camera and retake. However things are not always as they seem.  This picture tells a story of determination, fear, and a desire to belong.  What are you searching for?  What are you hiding that may look like something that it is not at first glance?  Take the time to see the whole picture before you jump to conclusions or hit delete.