This is my grand daughter Laila’s first boat ride.  Her Mom Bimala, her auntie Chandrika and I are on the ferry from Wood’s Hole to Martha’s Vineyard. We are going to visit their godparents, Jo-Ann and Derrill, and I will be working with their autistic son, Jacob.

This is my daughter Chandrika playing with Jacob on Thursday morning.  Jacob is a climber, and can find the most elaborate and winding ways of descending.  My goal this week is to wake up some of the development patterns that are not fully present in Jacob, and to play with him, enjoy him, love him.  With touch, with movement, with stillness, with sound.  Jacob has my heart, and being with him is a great gift.

To top it all off, I get to be on my favorite place on earth with the funnest person I know, my daughter Chandrika, her sister Bimala, and all of this tenderness.  Lucky me!