JD's J

Have you ever overlooked something that was sitting right in front of you?

I did that on Thursday and only noticed the object today.

On Thursday, J, my autistic student who expects a banana or apple every time he comes to music, was sitting in his normal seat at my computer when he picked up a ballpoint pen.

I’m used to J having a dry erase marker so that he can draw the cutest letters and characters you’ve ever seen, but I was not used to seeing J with a pen in hand.

J had unearthed a copy of his favorite book, “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom,” and had it open at my desk, so I thought he was going to draw faces on all of the letters. Knowing that we’re trying to teach J not to draw in books, I was prepared to stop him (although I secretly wanted him to mark the book). But he never drew in the book. As far as I knew, he never actually drew anything.

Except he did.

He drew a capital J on a post-it note and placed it on my file cabinet in the midst of my motivational sayings and things that make me smile.

For some reason, I didn’t see J’s “J” until today. And when I did, I grinned.

J, in his own way, had left me his very own love gift.

And my heart overflowed.

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When is a time that you overlooked an object that was right in front of you? Please share. I’d love to read your story!