Amber was a friend of Son LJ4 when they were little kids and I was serving her church. She and her husband John are fabulous parents who, suffice it to say, have been through a lot more than you and I can imagine. She recently wrote this, and it’s with her graciously expressed permission that I share it with you here —

It’s unfortunate that you couldn’t see he was trying to play.

It’s unfortunate that you immediately thought he was a threat.

It’s unfortunate that you decided yelling and cussing was better than just having a conversation. 

It’s unfortunate that somewhere in your life you were probably yelled at just like you yelled at me.

It’s unfortunate that they couldn’t just be kids and play.

It’s unfortunate that you lacked empathy and understanding.

It’s just all so unfortunate, the whole interaction.

I hope for you that whatever has caused you pain, that whatever has made you feel so defensive and a need to take out your own trauma on others gets resolved. 

I hope that you look back on the interaction you had at the playground and can see what so many others saw; An innocent interaction between a boy who saw another child and wanted to play. 

I hope that the next time you interact with a special needs child you realize they aren’t a threat and that even though that child may be big and look too old to get so close to your child, that they are doing the best they can. That just like you, they are still learning how to interact with the world and those around them.

I hope that this unfortunate interaction helps you to become a better person somehow. 

Most of all though I hope nobody ever treats you the way you did him and his mom.