Late in the evening of October 8th 2002 I made a bee-line to a local hospital in Prince Georges County, Maryland to await and be a part of the birth of my grandson, Kenyon.
If you have ever been in a birthing room, for a man it is a frightening place. My wife and I were there my son and of course the screaming mother (can’t forget her). After a few hours, Kenyon entered the world happy and squirming like bait on a hook. He was beautiful, the spitting image of his older sister and pronounced healthy by the obstetrician. All, was right with the world, it was an early Thanksgiving Day.
Kenyon came home a few days later, gurgling, soiling diapers and creating a Rockwell image with his Mom sitting in a rocker and breast feeding. Being the first boy he was a prince, handsome, strong, but unusually shy and seemed over-reactive to stimuli at times. That’s OK, he was great! A few years passed and Kenyon would cry for unexplained reasons, resisted physical contact and had had some trouble speaking.
He was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder…(ASD)
Worry set in, the cost of therapeutic intervention, his physical development and how he would be mainstreamed not only into school but life. Many concerns for a family that adores and loves him. The most difficult part for me were the long periods of separation from him because I lived in another state, there was always a period of unsettling re-familiarization, that was tough at time. The moments you cherish as a grandparent are the greeting and squeals from your grandchildren when you walk through the door. Kenyon has done wonderfully in the intervening years, he has shown a natural musical ability, he plays piano, his athletic skills are becoming more honed daily, he runs like the wind.
Honor Roll…
Kenyon Isaiah, turned fourteen this past October, he is strong, the mentor for his four younger brothers and the next in line for college; his sister attends a HBCU in North Carolina. This is the day before Thanksgiving and we will all gather tomorrow to eat our fill, gorge on sweets and take the tryptophan turkey nap, just before the late evening football game. Kenyon will be there along with his older sister and four younger brothers. I will be the guy and the end of the table with the big smile. November 21st 2016 Kenyon made his intermediate school honor roll list. The beaming smiled he displayed was the culmination of a lot of love, a lot of work and a lot of prayer.
What use to be trepidation is now anticipation, what will be the next hurdle he jumps and how loudly will his family cheer his successes. I love all my grandchildren, unfortunately my oldest son’s children won’t join us this Thanksgiving but I give thanks for them as loudly as I cheer Kenyon. To all of you who have children, with what the world calls a disability, remember the victory may be delayed but the rewards are lasting.
Kenyon 2016!