In some ways, Jarrett grew up fast. Having a younger brother with a disability made sure of that. he was asked to do more than others than his age, no matter how hard we tried to do otherwise, and he tells me that we did a better job than many other parents of children with special needs. He has learned this because the universe and his life path have led him to working with children with neurological disabilities. to this end, he was a camp counsellor and supervisor for 3 years at a remarkable camp in the Muskokas. This beautiful setting provided a safe haven for children diagnosed with Autism, Tourettes syndrome, acquired brain injuries and other equally significant neurological difficulties.it was an extraordinary place, which I believe settled Jarrett on the career life path he has chosen as a child and youth worker.
As you can imagine, he was surrounded by many like minded young adults, who were interested in the same things he was, including music. to this end, they formed a "camp band", complete with guitars, banjo, percussion and sometimes even a dulcimer. The played every Sunday night at a local bar. Fortuitously, it was on the way back from our property, and Jarrett invited us to sit in on the music, enjoy some wings and beer and sometimes even get up with the band and perform. I don't think that there has been a time when I had as much fun going out for wings.
During one of the Sunday nights, some of the teens that were clients at the camp came to watch as an evening out. One of the teen boys, who was autistic, asked if he could sing a song, to which the band whole heartedly invited him up. The next 10 minutes of my life there could only be described as magical.
This young man showed more courage than people twice his age or people who were called "Normal."
He took the microphone with confidence and told Jarrett he would sing the song "go the distance.'
For those who are not familiar with the song, it is the theme from Disney's Hercules. His voice was strong, pure and pitch perfect, never wavering, nor missing a single lyric. this is not an easy song to sing. its lyrics change throughout the song, with even the chorus changing at some points and a change in key. Yet, this young man, consider by some as less than the rest, sang out confidently and proudly. I will never be able to hear that song again without hearing his voice, and I realised that the song was more than just a Disney cartoon to him; it was really the story of his life:
I have often dreamed
Of a far off place
Where a hero's welcome
Will be waiting for me
Where the crowds will cheer
When they see my face
And a voice keeps saying
This is where I'm meant to be
I'll be there someday
I can go the distance
I will find my way
If I can be strong
I know every mile
Will be worth my while
I will go most anywhere
To feel like I belong
Down an unknown road
To embrace my fate
Though that road may wander
It will lead me to you
And a thousand years
Would be worth the wait
It might take a lifetime
But somehow I'll see it through
And I won't look back
I can go the distance
And I'll stay on track
No I won't accept defeat
It's an uphill slope
But I won't lose hope
Till I go the distance
And my journey is complete
But to look beyond the glory is the hardest part
For a hero's strength is measured by his heart
Like a shooting star
I will go the distance
I will search the world
I will face its harms
I don't care how far
I can go the distance
Till I find my hero's welcome
Waiting in your arms...
The words of this song were what he was doing right there at that moment. He was climbing that mountain and conquering it all. He was facing down the fear, the prejudice, and the bullies and standing his ground, on his terms and no one elses. he was not going to back down, look back, accept defeat, going the distance to find a place to belong in the world; a world that rarely accepts and reveres children who are different. In a word, he was my hero.
Yet, as I looked around the bar at the other councillors in the audience and more important, my sons face and the faces of those in the band, I realised that I was surrounded by a room full of heroes. The faces of the young people who had spent the summer and many others like it, providing a safe haven and a place to belong, positively glowed with pride and delight. it wasn't the selfishness that some might expect; that they had done this wonderful thing and look how good they were.After all, Sunday was there night off at the bar, where they were supposed to be getting away from it all. Nope, they were just so happy that this boy had the confidence and ability to happily get up on stage and sing. Jarrett did not stop smiling through the whole song. When he was done singing, the applause was thunderous and rivaled that of a rock star; I didn't need to look at Max to know that he was wiping tears from his eyes.
According to the dictionary, the definition of Hero is:
1
a : a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability
b : an illustrious warrior
c : a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities
d : one who shows great courage
People waste a lot of time making heroes out of people that are far from deserving. Actors, sports stars and other "famous" people, who in my opinion simply do not make the cut. You do not have to look to the magazines to find one; there are always those around us who "show great courage, and are admired for their achievements and noble qualities." That day, a young autistic teenager stood as a hero to an entire room full of people and humbled them more than words can say, and as always, one of my sons, My Jarrett, was mine.
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