Recently I was sitting on our front porch with our dog. It was a beautiful and warm evening and a neighbor saw us and came by to say hello.
We weren’t together long before another friend showed up. Matthew is a neighbor’s son and is just a wonderful spirit. He is in the sense of our world challenged in that he wouldn’t learn or socialize like most but this has never stopped Matthew from fully enjoying life.
Matthew waved from the street turned toward us and marched up the driveway, asking if he could sit and visit with our dog Tucker. Matthew is always welcome so I gestured for him to have a seat.
Matthew lives a block away and spends his summer evenings visiting people in our neighborhood.
One day when I was at the grocery store he came over and we started chatting, which concerned his mother. I think she wondered who I was and how I knew her son, to which I told her we live around the corner and see Matthew often. This brought a warm smile to her face and she said, “I hope he’s not bothering you.” I told her that he’s not and is always welcome.
On this particular night, he asked if he could pet the dog and started to show us how to get Tucker to sit (which Tucker did). Matthew had many questions for our neighbor who he didn’t know very well.
One thing led to another and as Matthew continued to play with Tucker, he looked up and said “Sneeze.”
He held Tucker closely and again said “Sneeze,” to which I said, “his name is Tucker, Matthew.” I had assumed he was offering more training tips to Tucker and had forgotten his name. This continued for quite some time before Tucker did sneeze!
I looked at Matthew who was smiling broadly, and then at our friend who was also smiling.
Matthew had been trying to tell us Tucker was about to sneeze and knew this long before it happened! Tucker only sneezed once and I can vouch that he doesn’t sneeze often. This was all Matthew!
In a flash, Matthew said goodbye and left like a superhero heading off on another mission.
I looked over at our friend who said curiously, “What was that all about?” I looked toward Matthew as he trotted down the driveway and said “Matthew was trying to tell us Tucker was going to sneeze.”
We both sat quietly for a moment wondering, finally getting back to what we had been chatting about previously.
Days later I saw our neighbor and said “That was pretty cool about the sneeze wasn’t it!” She smiled as if to say “I don’t get it like you do but it has me wondering.”
For all the gifts Matthew is lacking in the eyes of society, he has a great many, and always surprises me with his attuned and inspiring presence.
The things we don’t understand but still can trust may well be our strength.
Never forget who you are and what you know.
TK
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