Every so often I manage to step out from under the shroud of autism, look at Mason and see glimpses of a completely typical 6 year old boy. Those times aren’t as often as I’d like and the dark times are pressing. I'm ashamed to admit that Autism has negatively impacted my faith over the course of the last few years

But then Mason restores it in small bits & pieces.

The continuation of swimming lessons this summer has allowed me to observe more of those moments of typicality. If someone had told me at the beginning of summer that Mason would eagerly be looking forward to the water and managing the intricacies of the gross motor skills that are involved in learning to swim, I would’ve looked at them sideways, muttering something about their lack of sanity.

Not that I ever purposely discount my son’s ability to adapt and learn. I’ve witnessed too many amazing things from him in his 6 years of life. More so I’m more apt to be suspect about his ability to overcome the anxiety he’d always associated with water.

Mason's swim instructor, Kayl the Whale as he’s affectionately called by his swim students, has made the impossible, possible. I sat awestruck last week as I watched Mason swim the entire length of the swimming pool….TWICE.

Despite Kayl’s efforts, Mason dug his heels in at jumping into the pool since the beginning of the summer’s lessons. He has a fear of being out of control of his body and succumbing fully to Newton’s law of gravity. Jumping into a pool was asking him to do just that. Unless a hand was offered from Kayl, Mason wasn’t jumping in. The anxiety was apparent in the body language from head to toe.

During the times at home Mason, Rashele and I took every opportunity to hit the pool. Lunch breaks (we both work from home most of the week) evenings, weekends etc. With his older brother and sister cheering him on Mason gleefully showed off his swimming skills but still showed great anxiety and reluctance at jumping in the pool fully unassisted.

Over weeks we took baby steps…..literally. With feet and ankles submerged I had him practice jumping off the first step of the pool. Anxiety was lessened slightly but enough to jump with assistance. Finally he seemed to be enjoying himself but still insistent on holding onto my hand. More jumps ensued.

Then when he wanted more I only offered to let him hold on to my thumb. He protested, but I refused to accommodate his request for the entire hand. Mason relented and accepted that the thumb was going to be the only way I was letting him jump in.

Small progress.

We continued working on jumping more, not just on the steps inside the pool, but also on the edge of the pool. Always with the helping hand....er thumb.

Last Wednesday while swimming he latched on to me and we bounced thru the water. I threw him up into the air, which I had done many times before. He came out of the water giggling and demanding that I do it again. I complied and tossed him into the air a few more times, letting him splash down in the water by himself.

Again! Again! AGAIN!

I moved to the edge of the pool and lifted him out of the water. I looked him in the eye and with much coaxing and encouragement told Mason he could do this, and when he did it, I’d reward him with more throws in the air.

His anxiety wasn’t as high as normal. He positioned himself and apprehensively tap danced with his toes on the edge of the pool. He seemed to be physically readying himself for a jump but the expression he wore on his face made me think that mentally he wasn’t sure that he could do it.

He asked me to get closer.

I took a faux step forward and stretched out my arms.

More tapdancing....

Then at last it finally happened..

He leapt.

Belly Flop!

SPLASH!!!

Paddling arms!

Kicking feet!

To the surface for air....

Confidence behind the grin and sparkling eyes....

And he leapt 30 more times that afternoon.

Completely unassisted.