Life has many Journeys. Don’t be Afraid to Embrace Even the Most Difficult Ones

 

Not only is life a journey but it is filled with side trips along the way that cause us to take detours along the way. Yesterday, someone used the term sobriety journey. That really struck my heart. I went from saying drug addict, which is an identity to my son with addictions, that is a part of his journey. 

There are obstacles in life that come into our path, journey, life’s story. Not all of them are welcomed but most of them must become a part of who we are and how we step forward on our path.During his speech on Wednesday, RFK Jr. said:

"Autism destroys families and more importantly it destroys our greatest resource, which is our children. These are children who should not be suffering like this.

I take exception to his words. Autism is a journey that families embark on with the child or children they adore. My career was spent finding ways to smooth the path for children with autism. Does it take different strategies to navigate life for them? Absolutely. But the gifts they bring to this world and especially their families are limitless. 

Autism is not the only hurdle families face. Some include birth defects like my daughter’s cerebral pals but others come on later in a child’s young life. Diabetes, autism, asthma or even a tragic accident can change their journey. Are these hoped for, chosen or even somehow our fault? Absolutely not! But families adjust, love and find the best steps forward to make their cherished ones everything they can be. 

So thank you Patty for using the phrase~sobriety journey. It takes the obstacle from an identity or tragedy to a path with hope at the end of the road. Does this mean that any journey is easy or fixed in an instant? No. But it does give hope that there are steps we take to move forward. 

It got me thinking about other journeys that were difficult to embrace in my own life. Grief journey, infertility journey are just two that come to mind. Losing my son to suicide fifteen years ago was a moment that changed my life forever. But the journey since his death has been filled with not only sadness but joy and connections that would not have been possible without the heart crush of losing him. Ron and I have been able to support other families through their loss. The infertility journey that seemed so unfair at age twenty-three led to my chosen family that only birthmom’s made possible. I am sure at the time of their unplanned pregnancy, there were moments they thought of this as an impossible mistake. But God took that fear and turned it into the most incredible gift. Not only did we build our family of four children that felt impossible through infertility. But we gained birth families that became a part of our journey. I cannot imagine life without Phyllis, our daughter’s maternal grandmother, or any of these people who are connected to us. Our infertility journey and their unplanned pregnancy journey started out rocky but became the path we have walked hand in hand. 

Today, I am thankful for all the side trips my life has taken. Even the ones that seemed unsurvivable have turned out to mold me into who I am today. Stronger, more compassionate, more connected with others through the losses of life and its triumphs. 

Sidenote……the teen and adults I have worked with on the spectrum state clearly that they would not give up autism if given the chance. They have come to recognize that even with its difficulties, their diagnosis is a gift. It is a part of what makes them who they are and that is pretty terrific.

In Him,

Joyful

4-18-25