My son must adhere to a gluten and dairy free diet. His body doesn't break down casein, nor properly digest gluten. Mind you, this diet has gained popularity over the years and foods of a more tasty variety have come on the market since he was younger, but plainly and simply? It can be a real bummer at times. There are no drive thru runs for fast food, no pizza nights, and heaven help him if he drops his pre-packed lunch at school...'cause he's got to locate his mother, who must then drive home to gather replacement food. Thankfully, his mother is the most understanding, compassionate, approachable person I know. (ahem...) Okay, that's probably more descriptive of his grandmother.
A local specialty dessert shop recently started making GF cupcakes and my son has literally been counting down to WHEN he could PLEASE try a "fancy cupcake" like everyone else. Today was that day. And he loved it. It was, by all intents and purposes, worth the wait and the 40+ minute, one-way drive.
After carefully savoring each bite of his cupcake, his face began to fall. His understanding, compassionate, approachable mother (ahem...) asked, "hey bud? What's up?" That prompted the following discussion:
Son: "Will I always be like this?"
UCA Mom: "I dunno, it's like I've always said. You could outgrow this whole thing, or maybe at least outgrow one part of it...or maybe not. Nobody knows but God."
Son (with tears in eyes): "People told me I'll never outgrow it. That I'll always be like this."
UCA Mom: "Well I don't know who your 'people' are, but..."
Son (tears falling): "They've said it a lot."
Turns out that "people" and "they" is one kid who just likes to repeat himself, but it really is something how someone's words can hold us down. Because my son's a walking testimony.
So my response was to remind him of everything he has come through and conquered, and how people will say what they want, no matter how stupid it is (c'mon, I had to make him smile:-)...but only God dictates our course. I was sure he'd give me the generic, plastic mom smile. But he didn't. He actually recalled the times I came home from numerous neurologist appointments and trips to clinics and hospitals, ranting over what "people" said. Here are a few of my favorites:
"If you don't get on a medicine, you will most likely not be walking by the time you're 10yrs into your disease."
"Your days of multitasking are over."
"You should probably quit working."
"You obviously have not come to grips with the fact that you have a lifelong, debilitating disease."
Here I am, 12 years later. I wasn't able to take the medicine. I wasn't able to find a profession that gave me one task at a time to complete, nor would I have wanted one. I wasn't able to quit working. And I wasn't able to spend a great deal of time crying over the fact that I have ms. That would have interefered with what I AM able to do. And that's being a loving wife (though I sometimes must remind myself), raising my kids, contributing to our finances, and serving others.
Praise God for the fact that His still, small voice can be heard over everyone else's...when I'm listening for it;-) And praise God that my kids can learn something of value from my life with ms. Blessings really do come through raindrops.
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