O Happy Day.

 Happy New Year friends....just want to share something good
           The holiday break was spent quietly at home. It was lovely and restful. The week also included a few high points; Christmas Day, a drive to Grandma's house for dinner, a Canadian circus troupe called Cirque Eloize* from Montreal at the NYU Skirball Center**, and  today, New Year's Day, venturing out for brunch at B.B. King's Club*** to see and hear The Harlem Gospel Choir****.
            Now, you may know my husband, Richard Jean, who played guitar at PS 10 Rocks; I am certain you all know of Emily,our daughter ,who at 15 yrs old is 4 inches taller than me, and for the sake of my story, however redundant, autistic.
          Through TDF, I purchased our general seating tickets to B.B. King for Gospel Brunch, knowing that we might have to stand on line outside on 42nd St. for some time. That is not always easy with Emily. When we got there, Rich and Em got on the line outside, a half hour before the show, while I ran to will-call. While at the the box office, I mentioned that my daughter was autistic, well behaved,and that she loved music. 
        Within a  minute, I was told that it wouldn't be a problem and the gentleman asked if I would like to bring my family in now. I thanked him profusely, ran to the line and eagerly signaled them to come now. Holding Emily's hand tightly, Richard whisked them through the velvet ropes. A moment later we were standing in the club and immediately led to a beautiful circular booth close to the stage. There would be no obstructions and no one behind us so that if the spirit hit her, Emily could stand and dance. So my family sat ringside, nestled in our perfect place, waiting for the club to open and the house to fill up.
           Everybody has something, but families with kids who are disabled, live in a separate world. We are often shut out of activities.We fear social retribution if our kids do something odd, so we pick our outings cautiously and with great consideration. I am so proud of my daughter for how mature she has become. It gives Richard and I great pleasure to share the rich culture of our beloved city with her. Sights, sounds, art, music, dance, foods from around the world, are all language that we have in common. These are the ways we can teach and enrich her. These are the joys we can share.
          Thank you to the management and staff at B.B. King for how you made us feel welcome. Thank you for understanding and going out of your way to accommodate us. We had a great time.
          In July, Emily will turn 16. We are planning a trip to Europe for her Sweet Sixteen. We plan on sharing the world with her. Today, we got one step closer.


 *  www.cirque-eloize
** www.nyuskirball.org
*** www.bbkingblues.com
**** www.harlemgospelchoir.com