The Graduate

Last night about 30 children marched in their white caps and gowns to collect their diplomas and graduated...from preschool. Perhaps it is not the most monumental event in their lives. I would say it is more monumental for the parents.
My son graduated.
He did not stand still, sit still or do anything else still. He used his diploma like a sword with a girl next to him. When the music didn't come on for their little number they were doing, my son decided it was time for entertainment. He stood in the back doing his own thing, which whatever it was, had him ending up in a ball on the stage. The teacher kept coming over and picking him up off the floor. The guy sitting behind me commented to his wife, "Look at that kid up there! He's a riot! He doesn't care that there is no music. He is just doing it anyway." I turned around and asked which kid they were referring to and they pointed out my son. I said, sheepishly, that was my son. And they thought he was great. I was surprised. They didn't see a little boy out of control. They saw a kid...being a kid.
My husband was mortified that my son wasn't doing what he was supposed to and sulked about it afterwards. He was proud but didn't know what happened. The teachers all told him how wonderfully our son did. I pointed out that most of the kids were rammy and not behaving. My son was the one that a teacher had to hold the hand of all the time. He has some energy. He also has autism spectrum disorder.
I thought my son did wonderfully at graduation, not just for his challenges, but compared to his peers. Most people don't know there is anything wrong with him. And for the most part, I don't think so either.
He is beautiful and smart and I watched him graduate. I was so proud!
He starts kindergarten in the fall and the world of mainstream academics. Yikes! He will be put in the cookie cutter pipeline and start his journey through school. That anyone comes out unscathed would be amazing. I hope he maintains some of his uniqueness.
He is already ahead of his peers, I feel, in regards to many things. He can count to 100 and can ad complex amounts. He can build things from the picture directions (I can hardly do that) and knows how a calendar works. He can write all his letters upper case and lower. I think he is gifted.
He does his own dance, marches to a different drummer and sees the world in his own sweet way. He dances in 3/4 time, 5/4 time and probably a Samba now and then. He is a big boy and sees the world with all it's wonder - intact.
And so, my son graduated. And as I looked at him up on stage I wondered what he would look like in 13 years graduating from high school. Will he still use his diploma as a sword, dance to his own music, see the world with wonder and stretch his arms out to his side and say, "Look at me!"?
I sure hope so.