Words don’t even begin to express how I feel. There really are no words for it. I cry when I try to repay him I cry when I think about it I am crying now. This is my humble expression of gratitude.
So you know when one door closes and another opens and sometimes it’s just the most brilliant thing ever? That moment when the world is closing in and you can’t breathe because you yourself have exhausted all possible solutions. And then at that very moment someone kind and generous offers you a hand. The combination of fear and awe that set in and leaves you in tears because one person’s human kindness is attached to that hand. Have you had moments like these?
I have!
It happened 5 or so years ago when we left school because I was tired of hearing about how Dane was retarded and couldn’t learn. We started homeschooling and making life up as we went along. When Dane left school he was shut down because he was continually told he couldn’t or wouldn’t learn. He quit talking and wouldn’t even go out to lunch or recess with his peers. Instead he chose to sit in the school office where it was safe.
They broke him.
A cousin of ours heard of a man at a pizza shop that had a heart for underdogs. What she heard was true! This man at the pizza shop took Dane in under his wing and restored him. I can honestly say this man has been the greatest male champion of Dane. He took a chance on him. I cried.
I will never forget the day we went in that shop and the Pizza Man said “Sure! Drop him off on Friday night at 5 and we will see how it goes!” I stood on the street corner that night and cried. A man I don’t know reached out his hand to us and picked us up and gave Dane an opportunity to restore his spirit and gain some skills in the process. I have never been so touched in my life by someone’s generosity and kindness.
Dane was only there 4 hours a week but it was enough to heal him. For 5 years the pizza shop family took him in and treated him like he was part of the family. It has been amazing experience. I never imagined Dane would want or could wait on a table. But he can! It’s goofy and awkward but he has worked so hard to do it and he was given the opportunity. He has grown and matured beyond measure because of this family that embraced him and accepted him and truly loves him.
Dane’s life has been and will forever be altered because of this experience. I can never repay this kind of generosity and kindness but can only hope I do the same for others along my journey.