Beyond a Lens

The weekend started on a global voyeuristic note with the world swooning over a restorative royal wedding, and concluded with our President, always a perfect mix of dignified swag and elegance, earnestly confirming the death of this century's most diabolical clandestine terrorist by the hands of our Navy Seals at his command.

Nestled amidst the 2 polar events, my family, friends and I were gathered together on an endless grassy school yard under a warm bright sky to celebrate Special Olympics.

We were no longer virgins to this spectacular event. Last year, we were lost in awe, lost in the love the crowd gave the athletes, lost in the courage the athletes wore like medals, lost in the monumental feel of hope. Still on that high, we gathered our poster boards, loaded our cars, and caravaned our way down Long Island's highways and it's confusing streets. Needless to say, as the directionally challenged leader of this homage to gypsy travel, we were lost before we even started...but I digress...We found our way, and fortunately for us, as it turns out, Special Olympic time runs on Latino time......we are all fashionably late......

Anyone who knows my son, knows that he is one of the countless of kids on the spectrum with auditory processing issues and sensitivities. He has been anxious about having a Marching Band at the ceremony since last year. Though he had been told that perhaps there would be no Marching Band this year, my husband and I had been preparing him for the possibility, giving him options. Last year, Carlos walked with Gabe and they stood at a distance where Gabe wouldn't be affected by the noise. This year, the sight of tall feathered structured hats and glimmers of bronzed metal peeking over the backs of uniformed shoulders sent Gabe into cardiac arrest. Not to mention that there were 2 bands of bagpipe players and he had no clue the level of torment that could take him too...The panic in his eyes were rivaled only by the panic in his coach's eyes as he was trying desperately to reach me on my temperamental phone. Luckily, the promise of a long walk, an iphone to play with, earning of computers and cocktail wienies thrown in for good measure, helped Gabe compose himself. Master at negociations, my kid could broker union deals if it came down to food and fun.....yep, definitely my genes at work there....maybe if my genetic makeup was focus and success things would be different...but, again, I digress.....

During the walk my husband had the brilliant idea to give Gabe his camera. Gabe has taken an interest in photography lately. Every so often when I go to download pictures from my camera, I find interesting and intricate stuffed animal compositions in between the images of my sons. He has an very unique perspective, and is fearless with angles. We had gotten him a camera in the past (a simple Kodak) and in record time he broke it, so we decided perhaps he wasn't ready for it just yet. But, here, athletes rule, and there was time to kill, why not document it....so off Gabe went on his little adventures in between competetions and ribbon distributions, shadowed by siblings and which ever adult was "it" at the moment, and he took in the event.

The parade and the pagentary of local Special Olympic events are endearing. The hosting school makes a few announcements, local politicians, preferably one with a child with special needs, is moved to speak, art competitions are awarded and the school chorus sings...Banners are held high, paraders wave keeping thier arms in perfect V formations, local chapter of Knights of Columbus, Marching Bands, and Police representations appear with rehearsed precision....On the sports field, during competetions is really where true sportsmanship is highlighted. These kids and adults are cheered on along the way and they in turn cheer for thier own competetion. High fives, hugs, pats on the back, and a comeraderie that is rarely seen in the "typical" world, is innately embodied here. Everyone understands the work it takes to get to a place where despite the challenges of neurological wiring, chromosonal makeup, sensory issues, the environment, societies preconceptions, physical limitations, social skills issues, spirit is limitless, and it's in that spirit that we are all lifted. Here, during Special Olympics, we see it manifested communally, and it is celebrated openly, unabashedly, unapologetically...and it is reaffirming. What is equally important is the support we families recieve from our friends, our loved ones. I am profoundly grateful for the group of women I proudly call my sisters and my friends. They love my children, love my husband, and love me enough to embrace us, comprehend us, and come out to cheer with and for us in so many ways and on so many occasions. These are the women that when I confide my worries and fears, and I need to vent, do not dismiss my feelings when I am most vulnerable because they can't relate, they listen, they help me redirect myself, they make me laugh, and sometimes, even when words aren't spoken, the intent is felt, and it's always appreciated.

When we were all celebrated out, we returned home and Gabe handed his father the camera. The pictures were downloaded. We were left speechless. Gabe apparently had gone around asking people if he could take thier pictures. What he produced was a beautiful gallery of portraits, with some of the most expressive faces. Years ago I read an article about how children on the spectrum had trouble reading expressions and mimicking because of deficits with mirror neurons. Yet, my son, who we had to work hard on to achieve some type of eye contact (RDI helped the most with this) and who constantly asks you what you are feeling, loves portraits. It's apparent he has a gift for it. It's a love I share, I have always loved portraits and figurative work most of all. I suppose the less you feel you understand about people, the more intrigued you are by them. So, my son now owns his fathers camera, has taken it to school and has captured his classmates in the most natural and contemplative way. And I think perhaps for Gabe, a camera goes beyond a lens and it's his way to express himself, his way of communicating to us how he sees his world, how he approaches his subjects. Perhaps the clues to helping him stay more focused and connected lies in the angles he choses and the essence he captures......

Photo courtesy of Gabe's collection. His self portrait taken on May 1, 2011, in his 11th year......