Blue sky. Bright sun. White clouds.

Seeing as this past week was my last week of high school, I haven't had an opportunity to sit down and write. After spending an entire week wrapped up in friends and pranks, and general senior shenanigans, I haven't had a chance to take some time to recenter, so here's my attempt.

Inspiration strikes in the least expected moments, and today, while spending time with my cousin Samuel, I was inspired. To fully appreciate this simple anecdote, you have to know more about Samuel. He's 15 years old, 240 pounds, and 6 feet 3 inches tall. He seems like a giant in comparison to my small 6 foot frame, but it's the beauty of his character that astounds me.

Samuel is autistic. He only just entered my life as a cousin when my dad remarried, and I'm so blessed to be around him. After spending my past week in a somewhat superficial marathon of mindless fun with my friends and classmates, spending some time with Samuel refocused me, inspired me, and centered me to a more stable state. Spending time with Samuel always reminds me of the priveledge I have to express and be understood. Samuel's autism allows him to function and be relatively independent for a 15-year-old, but his ability to communicate often is lost in translation. He can speak in sentences and express his need for food, water, or use of the restroom, but he can't very easily express his ideas or thoughts. In spending a day with Samuel, I realize how fortunate I am, and his happiness and pure joy whilst dealing with his numerous health problems truly inspires me.

It started with a simple conversation. Samuel often spouts random dates from his internal calendar, and this time he interjected, "Kansas July 1st." I replied as I always do with a simple, "Yes Samuel. You and Roberta Aunty will be there soon enough. Yes, you'll go to Kansas." Prompting him to elaborate more I added, "How are you going Samuel? How are you going to go to Kansas?" His response was what inspired me. We were both talking while swinging on the local school's swingset, and while starting to swing, and with a huge smile he said, "Airplane! Blue sky. Bright sun. White clouds." His simple and innocent admiration of some of the simplest beauties of nature infected me with his elation. Moments like these remind what true happiness is.

Happiness is not knowing you are always healthy or wealthy. True happiness is not celebrating the end of senior year with friends in the craziest fashion possible. Happiness is found instead in the simplest pleasures of life. Now when I look at the blue sky, the bright sun, or the white clouds I can't help but think of Samuel and smile. I am truly blessed to have him in my life, and I'm happy to share in his love of life.

With my head in the white clouds and my spirit with the bright sun,
L. Soleil