In a support group, members provide each other with various types of help, usually nonprofessional and nonmaterial, for a particular shared, usually burdensome, characteristic. The help may take the form of providing and evaluating relevant information, relating personal experiences, listening to and accepting others' experiences, providing sympathetic understanding and establishing social networks. A support group may also work to inform the public or engage in advocacy.
The words autism and haircut shouldn't be allowed in the same sentence. Nick attended school once with a reverse mohawk after a "haircuts gone bad" incident. It wasn't corrected until a few days later when a brave employee took her shift at Great Clips, pushing through the weeping, wailing, kicking and flailing. Luckily Nick has become more tolerant over the years, wincing only temporarily when the clippers near his ears. This isn't the case for all children on the spectrum. For many it is a painful experience each and every time.
A mother was lamenting over the haircut dilemma at Support Group. Two women from the group readily offered their professional services.
Autism, haircut and spiritual probably shouldn't share the same sentence either, but today they do. The spirit was strong as I watched the two women work side by side to lighten the burden of another.
"What is Autism?" Nick asked.
"It's something that helps bring us closer to our Heavenly Father," I replied as I leaned down to kiss him atop his neatly combed hair.
