As many of you know, Alec is 10 years old and has mild asperger’s syndrome. He struggles with feelings of isolation and wanting to be accepted by his peers. He hates being different and sometimes says he wants to be like the other kids who tease and bully him.

Today after school, he was especially upset. The two of us were walking downstairs and I glanced out the window and I saw this lone rose blooming fresh and new at the end of September, among all the other dead roses. I asked Alec if he thought that rose would like to be like the other dead roses even though all the other roses were the same.

He quickly replied “no, because the rose is beautiful”. I said “yes, it is, exactly as it is. And that it wasn’t supposed to be blooming now, it’s different, but it’s beautiful”. He turned to me, knowing what I was trying to tell him and said “Mom you always come up with crazy explanations about why I’m the way I am . . . but I like it.” He smiled at me and walked down the stairs.