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| Cheering on neighbors while watching the morning "Car Show" |
I often wonder, how does Matthew see the world? If I could see the world through his eyes for
one day, one hour...would my questions be answered? I know Matty’s view of the
world is drastically different from the world I see. He knows how to take an ordinary moment and
make it extraordinary. When he looks out
our front window each morning, he tells me he is watching “The Car Show”. He has memorized our neighbors’ schedules and
routines, and knows exactly when their cars will pull out of their driveways
leaving for work and school. He cheers
them on by name from his perch at the picture window in our dining room, he
actually claps for them. To him, looking
out at the world through his blue-colored glasses, it’s the car show he sees. When I look out the same window, I see a busy
suburban street, not a car show. The way
this child views the world amazes me.
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| At the optometrist, choosing his new blue frames |
When Matthew needed a stronger glasses prescription a few
months ago, I told the optometrist that he requires a frame that’s impossible
to break. When you are outfitting a
child who once pulled off his own arm cast, you have to realize that destroying
glasses would really be a piece of cake for him. We were shown two options for indestructible
frames. Matty chose the bright blue ones.
Honestly, at first I was not thrilled with his choice because the
glasses look like they are part of a Halloween costume and purchased at Party
City. Now, seven months later wearing them every day, these glasses
have become his trademark and although he enjoys taking them apart, they have
withstood the 'Matty test' and are proven to be indestructible. The glasses are just like his optimism, his excitement for
life and his ability to turn ordinary into extraordinary – all are indestructible.
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| This happens a few times a day. But we just pop the lenses back in! |
As Matty and I are driving together, and a car nearby beeps
the horn (a common occurrence here in NY), I find myself uttering “jerk” - or
something worse - under my breath to the horn beeper. But Matty loves the unexpected beeping, he claps
his hands and joyfully hollers, “AGAIN!”. His worldview changes my perspective and my
thought pattern in a moment.
Last weekend we were at our dear friends’ house for a New
Year’s Party. Ten families arrived
through the front door over the course of the first hour of the party. Matthew enthusiastically greeted each family
with his triple hop, a few hand flaps and then took each dad by the hand,
leading him through the party to greet his own dad who was inside by the fire,
enjoying appetizers and conversation.
The other boys around Matty’s age at the party were in the game truck
playing video games and drinking soda (what boys are supposed to do at a
party). Through his blue-colored glasses, Matty
saw the party as an opportunity to make sure each party guest felt welcomed as they entered and that they all connected
with his dad.
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| So much love between Matty and Papa |
A few years ago, my dad (Matty’s Papa) was giving a sermon
in church (he became a licensed minister in his second or third season of
life). When he was finished delivering
his message and turned around to sit down, Matty, who was about 9 years old at
the time shouted, “Great job, Papa!” as he clapped for him. Papa turned back around, returned to the
pulpit to share with the congregation, “I hope God sees me the same way that
Matthew does.” This was before Matty
started wearing the blue glasses, yet his ability to see the extraordinary and to
share love and joy was as strong as ever.
Of course there are moments when seeing the world through
blue-colored glasses can be hazardous, like when Matty forgets to look both
ways before crossing the street, and his limited understanding of stranger
danger. He can’t be left alone; his extreme impulsivity always gets the best of
him. He keeps us on our toes for sure.
But the world he sees through those blue-colored glasses is a place that
I invite all of us to see. He only sees the
good in people and in situations through those glasses. What a beautiful way to
see the world.
When I tried them on once, the world was blurry. But I know his view is infinitely more
positive and optimistic than mine. He takes the ordinary moments and makes them extraordinary. I
have a lot to learn from my boy.
