The Journey

This entry is from Linc’s dad, Sam.

‘Two steps forward, one step back’. Sometimes that’s how it can feel on this journey with Linc. He’ll start to really get excited by new foods and textures, then he’ll get an ear-infection; the ensuing regimen of antibiotics will kill his appetite, and we’re back to yogurt and pureed foods again. He’ll just begin to start saying a few words, but his mom and I will forget to obsessively pound them into his lexicon, and he’ll lose them.

Contrary to Larry’s entry last week, Liz and I aren’t the greatest parents in the world. We make mistakes all the time. We slack off on these strategies which have been so carefully crafted by Linc’s therapists to help him achieve all of these milestones. We forget to read to him as often as we should. We get frustrated, daunted, and worried. And we know that we don’t have the right answers for all of the challenges heading our way. But, then again, any parent who thinks they’ve got it all figured out is always proven wrong.

We may be doing this whole thing imperfectly. But we’re doing it together. Liz has got my back and she knows I’ve got hers. Nico and Linc are a great team. We are a family.

The problem with lamenting a life of ‘two steps forward and one step back’, is that it implies that the destination is the most important part of the journey. The truth is that there is no destination. There is only the journey.

It is a beautiful day today, here in Central Texas. The boys and I walked down the street to get the mail this afternoon. Swarms of butterflies swirled past our heads while hawks soared above them. The green things in the world were celebrating the last vestiges of warm sunny weather by exploding in flowers and new growth. These things have always been irresistible to little boys, whatever their chromosome count.

Lincoln would take a few steps down the sidewalk and then stop to slap a fat leaf behind him. A few more steps, and he’d run back to point out a flower to his dad. A few more steps and he’d stop to follow a floating butterfly. Up ahead, his brother was trying to climb the neighbors’ tree and calling back to us, “Come on guys. There’s some cool bugs over here!”

The mailbox was the destination, but ‘two steps forward and one step back’ was the journey. Guess which one will be burned in my memory forever?

It’s all about the journey. Right, Lincoln?

-Sam