The decision

When my spirit is faint , you know my way ..

Psalm 142:3

Those were the days when our hearts were clouded and burdened. It was becoming more and more clear that we could tarry no longer – we needed to find another school to complete Jeff’s education .

Six years ago we had shifted from the Metro city , to this quiet town for his education . It was indeed a bold step bolstered by a lot of prayers . Within no time , all the pieces of our new life had fallen into place ; My husband was blessed with a job ; Jeff was in a nurturing environment and had made good progress.

Life moved on at a slow, comforting pace ; We had made good friends .There were beautiful places nearby for a weekend trip . The apartment in the city was slowly receding from our minds .. The thought of staying on in this comfort zone was quite appealing. Weekend trips to see my ailing parents were quite practicable too.

Staying on would mean depriving my son of opportunities to further his education. Sadly the town offered no other choice for him.

Meanwhile in our absence , the city had made considerable progress as regards services and facilities for Autism. The new schools were willing to provide suitable accommodations to kids on the spectrum. There were plenty of schools offering alternate education too . The mood of celebrating the difference was in the air. Some of the corporates had even added adults with Autism to their work force . The city looked decades ahead compared to the town we were residing in .

Entrusting my son with my sister , I made a short visit to the city to explore the possibilities. I reconnected with my mentor and other moms . After a few school visits I realised that placing Jeff in a new environment surrounded by strangers would prove to be detrimental.. The other option was the learning centres that provided coaching for national open schooling . The system offered a wide range of subjects and a flexible examination schedule that allows the candidate to appear for the public examination in a staggered manner .

Jeff wasn’t looking forward to attending the school after the summer break . He was incessantly talking about the boys who bullied him . His anxiety levels had to be contained at any cost. Then came the news from our tenant in the city . They were shifting to their new home in a month . Our apartment would soon be vacant . This further hastened our steps to open the new door that had emerged so unexpectedly in our journey.

Uprooting again wasn’t going to be easy . Desperate, my heart sought refuge in the Lord .

I hereby command you , Be strong and courageous, do not be frightened or dismayed for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go

Joshua 1:9