Mongolian Sunset

Mongolian sunset

stocky ponies run

The shaman beats his drum

falcon wings lift and soar

Painful spirits

sail away

 on its wings

Kids, last night I watched a wonderful documentary called The Horse Boy, about a young couple who took their autistic son on a trek on horseback to Mongolia, to find shamans for their son's healing. It was wonderful in every way - the parents' deep devotion to their child, the child's transformation from suffering to a happier state, his deep connection with animals, the ancient faith of the shamans. Improvement was significant, in all ways. But what struck me most in the film, were the interspersed comments from professionals, including Temple Grandin, stressing that while North Americans consider autism a tragedy, other cultures absorb these children as differently abled beings who bring gifts. 

The shamans believed the boy will be a shaman himself when he grows up. The parents learned the most important thing was to listen to their child, and the world began to open up for all three of them. Heartwarming, loving, intriguing and uplifting. I loved it.

Real Life

This is what a real life looks like:
it's heroic.

Within the space 
of four years,
her brother-in-law died
in a logging accident.
Her step-daughter
had a teenage baby
she could not
care for,
that she - his grandma -
is now raising.
Her parents died,
horribly,
together,
in a car accident.
Then her brother died.

Her husband
went back
to drinking.
Then, he left.

Recently, her grandson, 
now age four,
has been diagnosed 
with autism.

And, bottom line,
what this woman
takes away from all of this
is what a gift 
that unexpected baby was,
who traveled with her through
the worst years of her life
and colored her heart
with love.

True story, kids. Just one more pilgrim, on the path. 
Not thinking she's doing anything out of the ordinary.
Saving lives.

* puzzle piece symbol  created by the National Autistic Society