A few years ago, we decided to take my son, Jake, to his very first parade. It was just a short stroll from our home, making it an easy outing. If it turned out he wasn’t enjoying himself, we could quickly head back.
One of the local churches along the parade route had organized a free carnival on their lawn. There were snow cones, face painting, and an enormous inflatable obstacle course. The course had two entrances and was designed for kids to race each other to the finish line.
Jake was mesmerized. He could hear the laughter and excitement from the other children and wanted to join in. However, with his low muscle tone, I wondered if he could really handle the obstacle course. Logically, I knew it might be a stretch, but I decided to give it a try. With my help, I thought he might make it through. We weren’t in it to race; our aim was just to reach the end.
I won’t sugarcoat it—it was challenging! Nonetheless, Jake was having a blast (the soft surfaces minimized any risk of injury), so we crawled and rolled our way through. He navigated squeezing between the large inflatable pillars and climbing over hefty bolsters. He fell often, but each tumble was met with laughter!
As we slowly progressed through the course, I began to feel self-conscious, worried we were delaying the other kids. Just as I contemplated speeding things up, we reached a point where I noticed a crowd had gathered to watch us.
My heart sank at first. I thought they must be frustrated with us. But as I focused on Jake, I suddenly realized they were actually cheering him on.
“You can do it!”
“You’re doing so well!”
“Keep going!”
With tears welling in my eyes, we pressed on. Then we reached a nearly vertical wall with footholds and a rope. There was no way Jake could climb it on his own, and I wasn’t sure I could lift him either. But at the top, there awaited the slide—the ultimate reward for any obstacle course. How could I get Jake up there?
Just then, a kind woman jumped in, scaling the wall to help. She took Jake’s hands, and together we managed to get him to the top. He was then ready for the slide, and down we went together!
When he landed on the grass, his joy was palpable. He had done it! The crowd erupted in cheers as if he had just crossed the finish line of a marathon. It was a heartwarming moment that reaffirmed my love for our community.
After that exhilarating experience, we treated ourselves to snow cones and enjoyed the parade. It was a day to remember!
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In summary, experiencing my son Jake’s joy during that parade and carnival was a reminder of the warmth and support of our community. It was a day filled with laughter and celebration, showcasing how love and encouragement can make all the difference.