The Best Life

Perspective. Since starting this blog I think about it a lot. We all have a perspective. And it is unique to each of us. It is influenced by our beliefs, our personalities, our experiences… the list goes on and on. This blog has effected my perspective a lot. Especially once I decide what I am writing about.

Last Friday night, I decided on my next topic. The exceptional life that God has given Caleb. How could I not write about that when I witnessed what I did?

Caleb is a Freshman at Farragut High School. I. Can’t. Even. I was told that it would be an amazing fit for him. No. Joke.

The special ed program includes peer tutoring. It is so amazing. It’s next level actually. Caleb is with “typical” peers throughout the day. They love him. When I drop Caleb off at school, there is usually a peer tutor holding the door. He says, “My friend!!!” and he jumps out of the car. And they are just as happy to see him.

Then, there are the Sparkles. Oh. My. Word. It might be the best thing I have ever seen. The special needs students (aka “differently abled”) are given the opportunity to cheer right alongside the cheerleaders. And boy do they Sparkle.

Caleb was so so so excited about it all week. He told EVERYONE. And EVERYONE was so happy for him. Just the thought of it. Did all of our hearts good.

But you never know how things are actually going to play out. Especially with Caleb. If he is hot or tired or overwhelmed… he becomes an actual zombie. It was 90 degrees, the end of a long week, and a huge crowd. The chances of the Caleb zombie were high.

Nope.

He so rose to the occasion. He was loving every minute of it. He loved wearing his cheer shirt. He loved the football players running by. Oh! And this moment….

When Caleb saw this man coming he got so excited. Tom Doucette is his name. And now I realize that this is the man that Caleb talks about everyday after school. He is a football coach but he is also a PE teacher. Caleb’s PE teacher. And boy does Caleb love him. And based on those pictures, I think the feeling is mutual.

The Sparkles cheer for the first quarter only. Genius. Way to keep it positive for everyone involved. And they make it count. Caleb cheered and yelled and jumped and photo bombed. And people cheered for him too. His family, his friends. The loving enthusiasm went back and forth and everywhere. It was contagious. (Warning: There are so many videos. It was impossible to choose. Literally. Not possible. Obviously you don’t have to watch them all.)

The best life.

An old friend of mine used to always say that Caleb had the best life. She nailed it. He truly does. He sleeps, he swims, he eats, he laughs, he connects… and people connect right back. Deeply.

I have lived this week with that perspective in mind. And I saw it again and again. The best life.

It’s so constant, so present, that it’s really hard to write about. But then there are the glaring examples. That are impossible to miss.

Caleb’s siblings love him so so much. They take such amazing care of him. This video is going to look staged. It’s not. This little girl loves her brother so much that she cooks this kind of thing up all the time. She wants to take care of him in a way that makes him feel loved. She makes him sticker charts, unpacks his backpack, plans fun activities for them to do together, tucks him in, and makes him lunch. Just because. Because she loves him. Because she wants him to have the best life.