I watched him as he bounded out of the car to meet up with his friends. He had been waiting for this day for six weeks. He was on his way to Onicon.
Now if you’re like I was, you may be asking what is Onicon? Someone told me to think of it as Comic-con for people interested in Manga. My son learned about it when he became a member of the high school’s Manga club. He goes to their meetings every Wednesday after school where they talk about, watch, and read all things Manga. He has made several friends that he actually talks to outside of school. I may not appreciate Manga like the members, but I do love that my son has found a place to belong and people who are glad to have him around!
So this morning when I woke him up early to get ready to catch the bus, he quickly got out of bed to eat breakfast and get ready. He was so excited. The only other time he gets out of bed so quickly is to get a pop tart on his gluten day. (He loves things with gluten, but we don’t like what it does to him so we limit it to one day every five weeks.)
I sat for several minutes watching him as he greeted his friends. He was smiling his big, I can’t believe it’s time, smile. I have to honest, I was a little nervous to let him go. His autism and naïve nature can make him an easy target. The event is being held at convention center with hundreds of people, some of whom may not have the best of intentions. But as I looked at the crowd of students who greeted him this morning, I knew he would be fine. They know him. They know how he thinks. They know his weaknesses. And they care about him. They watch out for him. They would defend him if needed.
As I drove away, I was the one with the big smile. We have prayed for him to find his place and friends who see the wonderful things we see. I wasn’t sure it would ever happen. But it has. He has found his people, his tribe. It’s a beautiful sight!
