For those of you who have been reading this blog for a few months, you’ll remember a posting in December about a teacher’s touching experience with an autistic boy in her class. If you’re wondering what happened, here’s an update:

Remember my little autistic boy? Well for two months he has been a model student. Happy, willing to participate and interact—just plain transformed.

Yesterday, I started to do an activity with the class where I turn out the lights. When I said it was time to darken the room, he panicked and ran for the door. His aide told me he was terrified of the dark. So I talked to him and told him he could go into the hall while we did the exercise. There was no return to screaming or crying, but he was very agitated.

I said to him, “You know you are safe, and any time you change your mind you can come back in.” I gave the aide what she needed to do the activity with him in the hallway.

We started and I looked at him outside the window, returning to a parallel life and thought, “No way. That door cannot separate him or me from the progress we’ve made. In or out of the class, he knows Love’s holding him safe. I will not be impressed by a closed door.”

We had been into the activity for maybe 60 seconds when the door flew open and in he came. He melted into the group, did the activity and was happy about it–darkness and all.

The aide said he kept looking through the window, and after a couple of false starts, decided he belonged with his class, not separate from them. She said it’s the first time he’s tolerated a dark environment at school that she’s aware of.

Yes!!!!!!!!!!!

Such inspiring progress… We should never underestimate the power of our prayers to bless others around us. Love heals, and the closer we feel to Love, the easier it is for people around us to feel Love’s healing presence too.