We Bailed: The vote was unanimous, five in favor of boarding the 1:30 ferry yesterday bound for Bridgeport, Connecticut, a smooth crossing indeed. After stops for food, including a local farm replete in pigs, blueberries and an amazing flax seed bread, we reached home. Our son made his original wheat berry beef stew, inviting his two best local buds to join our five for a feast of merry plenty.

Local, Social And Super Funny: After dinner, still hours before Irene swooped in and stole our power (5 a.m. and highway robbery if you ask me), our son gathered all to watch family videos (now on disc). His two pals, one a friend from birth, our daughter, our son and his amazingly affable boyfriend and the mom (Dad went to bed) laughed our sillies out at the magician birthday party, son age 5, daughter 2, the tire swing scene, frog pond escapades, bubble baths and the infamous Halloween Parade at the elementary school (funniest of all due to defective camera, all tops of heads and disembodied voices) and throughout the evening our daughter was a full member of all social momentum.

The Shared Life Is the Best: Though you cannot separate our daughter’s social growth from other gains, as each supports the other (expressive and receptive language development being the linchpin that empowers the child to be understood as well as understand interpersonal transactions, thereby reducing frustration and acting out) for the family there is no doubt that her ability to be amongst others without major behavior issues is the greatest gift of the last years. Last night’s contagious pleasures shared with folks dearest to our son, five, six years ago would have been impossible to achieve. My high was witnessing our son free to mix up the precious people of his life, without the frustrations, embarrassments, and shattered moments of fun that so plagued much of his childhood.

Joy Comes Packaged In Moments Such As This.

© Jill Edelman, M.S.W., L.C.S.W. 2011