October Cover
Hope Magazine Online is proud to share this heartwarming story in its October and November editions. What hit me was not Jacob's challenges so much as this family's determination and unfaltering Faith and Hope.
Jacob's mother was told her child would most likely never express emotions - its looks like love triumphed again! It became evident that lack of expressive emotion when I first glanced at a picture of Jake and his mother. Nothing on earth can beat a child's laughter or a child's smile.
It is a profound event in a parent's journey when your child is diagnosed with a special need, whether its Autism, Cerebral Palsy, or Downs Syndrome or simply ADHD or any other developmental issues. Our aspirations for our children are 100 fold what they are for ourselves because we know already the challenges of life even before they enter the world. We want so much for our children and then we come full circle in an array of emotions when we hear words like, "your child will never".
I think in some sense its almost like dealing with death. Now for some it takes all of 30 seconds to come round to acceptance and for others a little longer. I don't think it matters who you are, how much money you have or don't have, single parent or not etc...
Some reach it and some don't. I think what is important is where the journey leads us especially when we move with love.
I found these "steps" online in numerous places.
Denial (this isn't happening to me!)
Anger (why is this happening to me?)
Bargaining (I promise I'll be a better person if...)
Depression (I don't care anymore)
Acceptance (I'm ready for whatever comes)
One thing I noticed in the above "steps" are two words, "me" and "I". Just some thing to think about... Now some parents may deny going through the steps but that is another topic for another time. I think what comes after Acceptance is Hope or maybe they go hand in hand. When HOPE takes over amazing things start to happen.
HOPE allows us to let go of limitations. HOPE allows love to shine through. HOPE allows new roads to appear and barriers to disappear. Jacob's Journey is a simple story shared by one parent about her son - oh her beautiful son with a smile that would warm the hardest of hearts and stifle the doctor who told his mother he would never express emotion.
This family traveled the globe from the US to China for Umbilical Stem Cell Therapy. There is much controversy about Umbilical Stem Cell Therapy. After reading this story I can't help but wonder why. I was amazed when I read more about it and cannot understand the hesitancy to explore this further. I am not a scientist I am a parent. I had no trouble with this choice. This is better than wasting knowledge on weapons of mass destruction.
Please take the time to read this wonderful story on hopemagazineonline.com about Jacob, and his family.
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
