Joy Heightened

Sensory processing is challenging for many on the autism spectrum, like Jack and Ellie. Sights and smells can be overstimulating, average sounds can be too loud, tastes and textures can be a war, and touch can be overwhelming. 

This is why some on the autism spectrum have a limited diet, wear headphones, need quiet places to decompress, shy away from physical touch, or lack eye contact. 

These are things my kids will one day have to enlighten me about from their own experience. I can only speak from my own observations as a parent, but for them, it’s daily living.

While it’s easy to label these characteristics as disadvantages, I’ve come to see that my kids have the ability to experience the physical world to a higher degree than I can. At times, their joy seems to be heightened too.

Jack, for example, will emphatically point out that he hears an airplane even when it’s so high in the sky you can barely see it. He can also pick out a fire truck, school bus, or police car on the road hundreds of yards before it would cross my mind.

Jack: Look! Dad, a school bus!

Me: Where? Where bud?

Jack: Right there!

Me: Uhhh, I don’t see…..(I begin to say while squinting and staring toward the horizon until I see the little blob of yellow far off in the distance). Woah, you’re right bud! I see that school bus now (on the other side of the world). 

This happens a lot.

Ellie gets super pumped up over running water and wind hitting her face. Stick a running hose over her head and you’ll witness pure joy (See Ellie below at a splash pad when she was 3). I’ve always loved this video for some reason.

She’s in her own world, yes, but oh so happy.

But one of my favorite experiences is seeing Ellie’s reaction to the wind hitting her face in the car (see video above). It’s evidently a powerful sensory experience for her. It’s hilarious and it’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve witnessed because she doesn’t contain her excitement! I had to create a little video montage to share with you.

I think God has blessed her with the ability to enjoy these types of experiences in a way I never could. 

Perhaps on the other side of eternity, I will too.