Growing Discrepancy

When he was four and ran with a patter-patter-skip it wasn't so different than all the other four-year-olds' goofy gaits.  When he was five and couldn't ride a bike, well neither could most of the kindergartners.  When he was six and didn't say any R's or L's or blended sounds of any kind, he had company.  And so on. 

But as time goes by, he's getting left behind with his bike standing dusty in the garage and so many sounds still alluding him.

As I watched him run down the basketball court yesterday, his differences were accentuated by the fact that he hasn't been feeling well and by comparison to the court full of other eight-year-old boys.

Sometimes I felt weepy watching him. The differences between his physical skills and his peers' are growing not narrowing.  Then I'd shake my head and think, this was the kid we worried would be strapped in a wheel chair and mute.  Here he is running, crookedly and awkwardly, but running nonetheless. And then I'd feel weepy all over again. 

Thank goodness we'll be back to watching soccer games in the rain soon.  Easier to cry without being noticed.