Social Opportunities for People with Disabilities

I can't believe we're half way through summer, can you? The locusts are setting off mid-summer sirens, the cicadas are nyang-nyang-nyanging and the crickets are chirping. The wealth of sounds during the summer blows my mind just like the silence of winter can do the same.

I have purple finches in my hop hornbeam tree out front. They arrive in May, build a nest in my taller cedar bush and have babies. They are adorable and sing sweetly. Then in late June or early July, they move on. We have a cardinal pair and of course robins.

Until a few years ago Ryan couldn't hear birds. Then a man recorded a CD with bird calls. Because Ryan could turn up the volume on his CD player, he heard birds for the first time. Since then we've purchased CDs with frogs and various other wildlife that he couldn't previously hear (crickets still escape him) but he has heard birds and that's huge!

He fell in love birds and now is part of a banded bird project. He has adopted two birds so far, an indigo bunting and a gold finch. We haven't received a call that they've migrated back to the area yet. If they do come back, Ryan will get a call so he can see his adoptees and get a photo taken with them. What an amazing hobby.

He's also fascinated by eagles and hawks. We've visited the Eagle Center in Wabasha and he couldn't miss their cry from a few feet away. (He also has a passion for the American flag and there was a flag expert there one day ... God is so good!)

We all search for ways to foster friendships for our children with special needs. The only way I've found is to foster interests first. Get them involved in a variety of projects. Figure out what they enjoy or are passionate about. Dialog comes when people have things in common. Ryan's language skills have improved as he discusses birds, gardening, scrapbooking and all the other things he's involved in.

The bottom line ... stop worrying about "social opportunities." Get your special someone out and about. Develop hobbies he or she can do on their own or with your help then join groups of that nature. Social opportunities will abound. It'll never be what it would for you or me, but people, for the most part, are polite, considerate and try to answer questions and talk to our special loved ones.

God bless you today and fill you with joy at the idea of adopting a new hobby!

Much love and joy,

Karen