Feeling Alone

Our unit has an autistic Scout. He is high functioning and at times can be a handful but to be honest, what Scout isn’t whether autistic or not? Boys are all a handful. Scouting is planned craziness because they are all a handful. That is part of the reason Scouting is so great.

Last night this Scout was begging to come to a 3 day campout that is happening this weekend. In order for him to come, he must have his father present in order to come. I watched this boy fight back tears because he wanted to go so bad and was begging to come. The first time he was begging to go I didn’t think much about it but the second time he proceeded to beg to go, I noticed again him fighting back tears and something different in his face. I am very sure this boy feels alone and wants nothing more than to feel included. He wants to feel “normal” even though none of us really are normal.

I called this Scout’s step mother last night and had an awesome 20 minute discussion with her about him. I understand him a bit better and I think my understanding of what is going on in his head helps me to better help him. She talked about Scouts not wanting to play with him after meetings and I know that that isn’t true because I have witnessed them playing with him and I have personally played basketball with him.

I am sure we all feel alone and want to be included like this Scout. I am fighting some of those same feelings myself right now with transitions in my life. I think for some that alone feeling and wanting to feel needed and wanted can be painful. Besides tears and emotions I think that there are direct physical manifestations of feeling alone. I think one of those is true physical pain.

So my takeaway is I am going to shadow this boy for a little while. I am going to get to know him better so that I know how to encourage him to do what he should and do what he knows to do. I hear he is an excellent lizard hunter. I may be one soon too.