Today I met one of the most BEAUTIFUL women I have ever seen.  Let's call her Stephanie...because, well...that's her name.

Stephanie is a high functioning Autistic gal who has her world in the most perfect order I have ever witnessed.

Stephanie came in with her step mom to train with me today.  While she doesn't normally live with her step mom, there was a magical bond between the two ladies.  One can't give enough and the other is giving everything she has.

I worked for a few years a Gym teacher in a school that was divided in half in it's programs.

One half was MRDD (Mentally Retarded Developmentally Disable/Autism) and the other half was my side of the school yard which was D.S.S. or Department of Social Service.

Mine was called a resident school because "Prison" was a harsh term.  My kids were going to either kill their families, or their families were going to kill THEM.  They were in fact in jail, but not officially.

However, the M.R.D.D. program was one that I would help the other gym teacher out with when they needed it. (as if???)  The kids were "Special" in fact.

However...today was a reminder to me that perhaps the word "Special" should be applied to the way they can conduct themselves.

Young Stephanie reminded me that there is an innocence to those rare people that see the world through untainted eyes.

They don't "hate" because they have so much love!

They don't complain, because they are so grateful!

They do, to please and gratify themselves and in turn gratify those they associate with.

Perhaps WE are the "Special Need" population.

We need more of these types of people to remind us that life is worth living without complaints or restraints.

Stephanie answered all my requests with a simple two letter response, EVERY TIME I made one..."O.K.!"

"Stephanie, I want you to sit back on this box like you are going to the bathroom"......."OK"

"Stephanie, I want you to look at my eyes and push your knees out and keep your shoulders up and stand up"...."OK, you have nice eyes."

"Stephanie, I would like you to tap your knee to the floor with your other foot out front like you were a monster stomping  on a town in a movie" ..."OK!  Like this?  This is good"

"Stephanie, do ten billion of those....(not really)" "OK this is fun".

"Stephanie, can you come back and visit me again real soon?"  "OK!  Tomorrow is good for me, or Wed."

"Stephanie...OK, SOONER"

Thank you Stephanie for giving me the proper response to many requests.  Thank you for lighting up my day.

OK?

OK!