Autism Teaches Us!
A young boy living with Autism gave me a great lesson many years ago. The world’s largest Crucifix is in my hometown. Our friend’s son, Andrew, loved visiting this Cross in the Woods and kept asking his parents to take him to see It, over and over. He was fixated on the Cross and even collected manger scenes as well. We often want to help others who live with Autism be more like the rest of us. This boy’s thirst for the Cross made me think, maybe we should strive to be more like him. I wrote the following song about the lesson this amazing young man gave me. It’s called, “Andrew’s Song”
“Andrew’s Song"
They say, that he was born different.
He is not like you and me, and may not fit in society.
They say, that he is not normal.
His brain doesn’t work like yours, and yet there is no known cure.
But he says, Mom and Dad, will you take me to see, the Big Cross in the woods.
Oh I, wish I was more different, I wish I wasn’t so normal,
I wish I was more like Andrew, I wish I felt more like he does.
They say, he has trouble relating, to the outside world we’re in,
He doesn’t understand his own feelings.
They say, he has weird attachments, to certain objects as he grows,
That might fade away when he’s old,
But now he says, Mom and Dad, will you take me to see, the Big Cross in the woods.
Oh I, wish I was more different, I wish I wasn’t so normal,
I wish I was more like Andrew, I wish I felt more like he does.
We should all be more different, much more less normal.
Take a lesson from Andrew, and be more like him,
A whole lot more like him, A whole lot more like him!