B’ball & Mascots

The Boy plays in a wheelchair basketball league. It’s very cool.

The Coach is one of those amazing men who is passionate about making things happen for kids. And so each week, the 5-6 wheelchair-using kids square off against the Varsity or JV teams of area high schools. And I get to sit back and watch other people interacting with my son.

Well, recently, the girls Varsity team of “our” high school — the one The TeenGirl and The Boy will attend — invited The Boy’s team to sit on the bench with them at their home game.

This is very exciting stuff. And a big deal.

So we shuffled our schedule around and got ourselves to the game in plenty of time. The team was warming up. The Boy was getting positioned. The Mom and I were chatting with other parents. Then …

… Disaster!

The team mascot came out.

The Boy does not like mascots. Or anybody with masks. But especially not mascots.

They freak him out. Total meltdown.

So for the next 20 minutes, we worked to calm The Boy back down. 

I had to go up to the mascot (who by this time was in the middle of a bunch of cheerleaders — gulp) and, where The Boy could see me, ask him to stay on the other side of the gym.

Finally, The Boy and I went back to where his team was sitting. The Boy wheeled in next to his teammate, The TeenWho’sGrowingaMustache. 

And then, the most beautiful thing happened.

For the whole rest of the game, The TeenWho’sGrowingaMustache stayed by The Boy’s side, with his hand on The Boy’s arm. And every time The Boy started getting anxious about the mascot, The TeenWho’sGrowingaMustache reassured him. A couple words. A squeeze on the arm. The TeenWho’sGrowingaMustache had it under control.

Receiving and giving love and strength.

And I could just sit back and marvel.

Through the Roof

A Blog Supported by the Mosaic ministry of Third Church, ECO

"Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on." (Mark 2:3-4)

About: This is a blog about accessibility, intimacy, and community. About being welcome.  It’s also about bringing up The Boy. He's 10 years old and has cerebral palsy. Also popping up are The TeenGirl, who just turned 13, and The Mom, who is awesome. It's written by The Dad. It's my words, my view. Other people will think differently and have different opinions. Good.