Running for Others

Today, our school hosted the RUN FOR OTHERS. A 5K run and a 1K run to raise funds for the Special Education Department. My family has participated in the run for many years....but this year, my 2 Aspie sons wanted to run the 5K instead of the 1K "Fun Run."

I knew that our 16 year old could accomplish this. But our 12 year old is not the strongest and tends to quit things "when the going gets tough." Once we got to the race this morning, I reminded him that he could walk if he wanted and that we were proud of him, no matter what.

My husband, our youngest son and I were standing on the route reminding people to take their second lap. As our sons passed us on their 1st lap, we noted how our 2 sons were running together. Now, they are 5 years apart in age....have completely different body builds.....and do not always get along. We thought, "OK...maybe they will make it....but at least they made it this far." 8-)

We cheered as the different runners ran by us on their 2nd lap, heading to the finish line. As more and more runners came through, we watched for our sons.....and became worried. Did they stop along the road...were they walking back to the parking lot...where were they? Finally, we saw them....still running side by side. We cheered and tried to make it back to the finish line before them so that we could see who crossed it first. As we neared the finish line, we saw a beautiful sight.....

...OUR 2 ASPIE SONS CROSSING THE FINISH LINE EMBRACED ARM IN ARM!

Two brother who supposedly have a disability that can manifest apathetic socialization to others in their environment. Hmmmm......

For a long time, I have had a suspicion that my Aspie sons are not APATHETIC....but EMPATHETIC to the point at which they just do not know how to handle it.

After the race, a parent came up to me wanting to make sure that I knew how she had witnessed my sons' beautiful relationship. She had been running in the same pack as my sons. She told me that our oldest purposefully chose to stay running by his brother's side. Not only that, every time his younger brother wanted to quit or thought that he could not go on, our oldest son cheered him forward to accomplish what both of them had come to do....

RUN FOR OTHERS.....

And they did. These Aspie brothers RAN FOR OTHERS to see that Aspie kids CAN care...can feel...can love.

"He's not heavy..he's my brother..."

(As a side note, our 5 year old, who we think does not have Asperger's Syndrome, ran the 1K. He left his father in the dust....and Dad is still limping...)