This is our amazing daughter, Tory. We received her bittersweet diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder 6 months ago, at age 10. While we were relieved at finally understanding what was going on with her, our hearts were broken, knowing her life wouldn't be what we had imagined. At first we were devastated. We cried, wondering if she'd ever be able to enjoy friends and school activities, go to college and have a career, or get married and have children. All the normal things every parent wants for their children. We grieved for what she would miss out on.
We soon realized that she wasn't going to miss out on anything. Those were our dreams, not hers. She dreams of having one good friend that she can play Pokemon with, of going into middle school next year, and of one day meeting her favorite Disney character. She dreams about what's important to her, and she dreams big. Her big dreams, though they may seem small to others, are what has become important to us. Our focus has switched from her lifelong future to her immediate future. What can we do to make Tory happy in the moment? That is what's important.
Carrollton, GA
