Autistic girl has rare gift with animals

Wow, thanks for a great post Joy. yes, it is nice to see someone treat it as a "gift". It takes a special person to work with these types of animals...I've worked with autistic kids before and they are a special gift all their own...

I had a deaf cousin who could do anything with animals. When she was a little girl she would walk in front of the plough(plow)to make sure there were no bird nests or baby rabbits in the way. If there were she would take the babies and raise them. She had saved wounded dogs, cats, cows,birds, turtles, chickens (my personal favorite was a blind bull) - everything! When milk became available in the store, my grandfather ordered her to give up her beloved milk cow. As they were trying to get the cow into the trailer the poor old thing ran and put her head under my cousins arm. My cousin cried out "NO! I go too if you send her!" That was one of the few times she ever tried to talk. My grandfather pulled out his old hankie and cried like a baby. She got to keep the cow. My dear cousin finally got her own little house and it was surrounded by animals of every kind. When she died in 1978 she had a little box with baby rabbits beside her bed. My grandmother took them home and raised them on a bottle. God gave her a certain gift. She was the St. Francis of Remlap Alabama.

Meanasasnake,

Your story reminds me of the lady, Sarah Smith, in CS Lewis' book "The Great Divorce". She walked surrounded by animals and children and spirits who loved her. If anyone has never read that book, I would encourage you to. It is so beautiful.

She is truely a wise old soul....

quote:

Originally posted by mandomama:
Meanasasnake,

Your story reminds me of the lady, Sarah Smith, in CS Lewis' book "The Great Divorce". She walked surrounded by animals and children and spirits who loved her. If anyone has never read that book, I would encourage you to. It is so beautiful.

I have not read that book in many years - I will have to re-read.

My cousins name was Mildred Palmer. She never married but dated a man she met while in school at Talladega. He would come and see her around Christmas every year. He rode the bus from Atlanta and we would pick him up in Birmingham. They would sign all day and all night. My grandaddy would not let her marry him.

I love CS Lewis....great author....

thanks for posting this joy. i have a great niece who has autism. i am sending her parents this link, they definately need to see it.

For generations the "handicapped" were ignored, left in "homes", sanitariums or neglected. Just imagine what society has thrown away and missed. Thankfully we now know so much more about the various forms of autism and many other conditions. I love this post! Thanks Joy.

My pleasure, I assure you.

True, mean. I remember meeting a little girl in a wheelchair one time that could do little more than love, which means she could do the greatest thing of all. She blessed me more in a few minutes than anyone else could in a lifetime. I imagine society was robbed of similar encounters, but not anymore.

Thank you for all of your very nice comments about my daughter! :-) I'm sure your open mindedness regarding "special" people is appreciated! How boring the world would be if we were all the same... may God bless u all!