Unconditional Love

I’m a mother or twins . They are 27 years old. Our son Daniel has special needs; our daughter is not affected . We are blessed.

I see them walking often. They live at the end of our street, at the corner. She is always holding on to the leash of their cute white dog as he walks ahead of them. He holds on to her shoulder, sometimes her waist, lovingly. Other times he leans on her for support. They walk slowly, always close, forging ahead, just like us.

On semi normal winter days when the sun is out, yet we need our coats on because it’s so cold in the shade, Daniel and I also walk around the block. He holds on to my left shoulder, sometimes my waist, he pulls my hand to hold on to his as well. We too walk slowly and lovingly. He also leans on me for support.

Daniel is magic; he also lives with autism, intellectual disability and epilepsy. He has an uneven gait. I talk and sing to him. He looks and smiles at me with a smile that lights up his face and I stop to kiss him, to hug him. “You’re doing so well,” I encourage softly and often as walking is not a favourite activity for him.

I observe a couple from the end of our street and I think of the way Daniel and I walk together. That couple is married. Daniel and I are mother and son but the similarities are evident. We walk close to each other; we walk lovingly with each other; we support each other; one looks stronger than the other. What do people think when they see us walk? I hope they see love, unconditional love, just like the couple that live down the street from us, at the corner.