8 days!

In 8 days school will end.  This will be the end of our 1st high school year.  I'm relieved yet scared in many ways.  This year has been rough.  In more ways than one.  Socially he has made such huge progress.  He's stepped outside of his comfort zone.  Summer typically brings a more socially withdrawn kid.  No matter how much I have planned, how many fun things we do..  He typically resorts to sitting in front of a device.  This summer will be especially hard.  His friend (also autistic) of 4 years is moving.  We've chatted about it.  He knows it's coming.  Separate post on that later..  

He left me a ton of paperwork to filter through this morning.  As I looked over the leftover notebooks he had doodled in, the countless graded papers, I found a folder.  It was a folder they had compiled throughout the year with feelings, things about themselves.  The 1st page was hard to read but expected.

"I do not have a good filter.  I prefer not to have friends in any other classes.  I'm sensitive and prefer others not to talk about me."

There were many many pages.  One thing I noticed throughout, he seemed to gain a bit of confidence.  That last page hit me hard.  My heart swells just seeing and knowing how far he has come this school year.  Yes, it has been hard.  I know it will only get harder.  Academically, socially, physically.  Difficult, depressing.  He strives to find his place.  Some days he really doesn't care to find that place.  But that last page................

Don't judge somebody, unite with them, become a friend.