Many communities are doing fantastic work for people with special needs. Working with children and youth over the past few years has been a personal year of growth through understanding and appreciating the challenging work that goes into surviving and thriving in a life with autism.
I am fond of a quote from Anthony Ianni, a member of the autism community. He says, “at the end of the day, we don’t dream our lives…we live them”. Anthony captures the essence of both life and community in one quote. When you live with a disability, some days, it takes every bit of energy to advocate for your basic needs. When they are not able to, there is an entire community ready and willing to support whenever or however is needed.