Dear Special Needs Mom in the Mall

Dear Special Needs Mom in the Mall,

I hope you don’t think that I was staring at your son because I thought he looked different.

I hope you don’t think that I starting talking to him to be rude or unkind.

I hope you don’t think that the way I smiled at him was odd or creepy.

I hope that you don’t think that my need to spend just one more minute talking and looking at him was a way to figure out more about his “genetic condition”.

I want you to know that I was looking at your beautiful and “different” son because he reminded me so much of my Zackie.

I want you to know that people often stared or wondered about my son too- for all the wrong reasons and that my reasons were not like this at all.

I want you to know how lucky you are to look into that beautiful face everyday and hear him say “I love you, Mom“.  

I want you to know that I would give anything to have heard my son say that, even once.

I want you to know that while I can’t imagine your 10 years of struggles, I can imagine the first 3.

I want you to know that you have already been blessed with his spirit for 7 years longer than I had with Zack and to never take that for granted (I believe that you wouldn’t).

I want you to know that he is an inspiring spirit that was brought into your life and for a few moments, into mine.

I want you to know that when I told you “he reminds me of my son“, I meant it.  You didn’t need to know that my son is now in heaven and I haven’t seen him in 3 years.

I want you to know that when you and he walked away, I cried not only because I was so incredibly sad but also because I was grateful.

I want you to know that for 7 minutes, only 3 days before another Mother’s Day without my son, yours brought me more joy than you could ever imagine.  

I want you to know that I thank you for sharing him for just a moment.

xo
Happy Mother’s Day