Pastor John Van Sloten

It always hits me when I least expect it.  First, as just a passing thought as I watched Edward get ready for pickup for his daily ‘vocation and leisure’ program; “This is now his life,” I thought, “Five days a week of sporadic volunteer work, various programs, and bowling and swimming.  It may not change much from this.”   Then, with a spontaneous burst of tears as I watch him find his way to a waiting cab in front of our house.  The cab driver had trouble clearly communicating to Edward which door to use, then he reached over Edward to do his seatbelt up, and then I noticed the two disabled seniors who were his cab-mates.  The thought of an 18 year old young man heading off into his day with two seniors (instead of with kids his own age – at say university or work) rattled me for just a second.  Then tears.   It seems the pain of parenting a disabled child (now man) is never all that far from the surface.