When No One Says Hi Back

I just encountered a handicapped gentlemen in the skyway outside of my office. I would say he was in his fifties. I heard him coming. He was saying the most cheerful ‘hi’ to every person he passed. I noticed he was being ignored. Which I guess isn’t all that uncommon. When a stranger says hi it’s probably normal to ignore.

When he said hi to me I gave him the most cheerful hi I could give. He stopped walking and asked if I was going to have a baby. I smiled and said YES. He smiled back and off he went. As I started walking again I could hear him saying, ‘hi’ again.

The tears flooded my throat. I immediately thought of Cooper. My son is seven. He is quirky. He is loud. He is busy. He struggles to greet people. He knows no social norms. And for the past six years we have worked on waving, making eye contact, and saying hi. Sounds so simple right? It’s not. It’s very hard for some people.

Right now, when he does it appropriately, we celebrate like he just did the most amazing thing. Because to us it is.

I wonder what he will be like when he’s 50. When he’s not so cute and small. When he’s a man. Will he say hi to every stranger he meets. Will he wonder why no one says hi back?

The thoughts and worries we have as special needs parents….

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Finding Cooper’s Voice is a safe, humorous, caring and honest place where you can celebrate the unique challenges of parenting a special needs child. Because you’re never alone in the struggles you face. And once you find your people, your allies, your village….all the challenges and struggles will seem just a little bit easier. Welcome to our journey. You can also follow us on Facebook and subscribe to our newsletter.