that magic school bus (& thanksgiving 2015)

[Reprinted by request, with a few edited, current thoughts…]

With Thanksgiving upon us, a day of gratitude and grace, I thought of sharing insight into the many things for which the Intramuralist offers thanks…

For each of you… who encourage me through your readership and sharing.

For my family… who loves me, even at times in spite of me.

For the empty seats at my table this year… reminding me of our hurting hearts but a life well lived. 

For my friends here… who make me laugh and hold me accountable, often having the guts to say what’s hard.

For my friends who got me here… from Indy to Iowa… Purdue to Portland… South Florida, Colorado, and California… who shaped the way I think and encouraged me to grow.

For my faith… which grounds me now and gives me hope for the future.

Yes, there is much.

But my thoughts keep drifting to the one moment of my day years ago, that arguably portrayed the finest reflection of gratitude. It’s a story that keeps life in perspective for me, even though first penned years ago. Shared as first written for Thanksgiving in 2010…

Late each weekday afternoon, I have the privilege of stepping out on the front porch, in anticipation of a small yellow school bus. Each day the routine is the same. He sits in the front left seat, right behind the driver, the last one on his bus of maybe 3 or 4. He sees me as the bus slowly stops, and an instant smile spreads across his face. His wave is neverending, boosted by his seemingly unparalled enthusiasm. It’s like seeing him for the first time in a long time… except I just saw him some 8 hours ago.

Each day my son gets off the bus with a warmth and greeting I’m not sure any of us totally deserve. He makes me feel like the most important person on Earth. At the very least, at that moment, he makes me feel incredibly important to him. He has an amazing set of gifts. I have seen him encourage the elderly, the intelligent, even the alcoholic. There is no end to Josh’s encouragement.

I am often struck by 2 aspects of Josh’s life. One, missing a wall in his heart at birth, he became critically ill, and we wondered if a day like today would ever be realized.

And two, he has Down syndrome. Some people think that makes Josh less gifted or something. I know better. I’ve seen him get off the bus.

So on this day of gratitude and grace, I am thankful for the family, friends, and faith which have so often, so well spurred me on. Hard as it is, I am thankful, too, for those not here. I am thankful to still be growing even though I’m not a kid anymore. And finally, I am thankful God didn’t answer all of my prayers when Josh was born. He gave me something better than I even knew to ask.

Some might question that.

But then again, they’ve probably never seen Josh get off the bus.

In everything, give thanks.

A blessed Thanksgiving to you and your families…

Respectfully…
AR