Category Archives: Essays

The Dead-end of Blame

Posted on July 29, 2011 by slcantwell25

I made a decision and I know that was how it had to be, and I did not blame anyone.                                               —Czeslaw Milosz, “Yokimura” I. In the first years after our son’s diagnosis, we attend only one autism conference. We’re … Continue reading →

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The Music of the Spheres

Posted on January 2, 2011 by slcantwell25

Colin, our son with autism, fell into crisis at his brother’s birth—throwing more tantrums than ever, waking up at night, ignoring the usual comforts from us, and even refusing to eat. Such scenarios are common enough for children when new … Continue reading →

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What I Can Only Be Told

Posted on December 13, 2010 by slcantwell25

My parents tell me when I was an infant I didn’t cry in the morning but waited quietly in my crib humming and playing with my toes until my parents arrived. On random Saturday mornings when my father didn’t have … Continue reading →

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What the Sky Diver Knows

Posted on December 7, 2010 by slcantwell25

When we entered the neuropsychologist’s office in January, 2004, our two-year old son, Colin, went straight to the crayons, puzzle pieces, marbles, board games, and colored wood blocks—moving from one object to the next, exploring the room, stopping only to … Continue reading →

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One Boy’s Way of Knowing

Posted on December 6, 2010 by slcantwell25

I won’t skirt it—autism takes a whopping bite out of the natural sweetness of life—for both the one living inside it and the family living in its orbit. Autism also brings unexpected wonders. I’ll admit, I felt the bite long … Continue reading →

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