Last week my son, JJ and I were in the grocery store trying to pick up another week’s worth of food for our family. As I was watching my list and searching the shelves to get us our food, my son was scanning the aisles for people he knew. Even though he is 35 years old now he still has the heart of a child and the love of an angel inside of him. He may be considered a “Special Needs” person by the rest of the world but he has been my SPECIAL teacher on how to live and how to love for his entire life.

Just as I was bending down to pick up some cans of tuna fish I heard JJ call out the name of a teacher of his from his school days. There was such joy and cheerfulness in his voice as he called her name. He immediately went over to her and gave her a big hug. We caught up with her for a bit then started shopping again. When I was bending down to pick up a box of pasta I heard my boy call another name with equal joy. It was a girl he had gone to school with many years before but he remembered her face and name and gave her a Huge Hug too. Then as we were checking out and I was reaching for my wallet I heard my son call out again with such happiness upon seeing someone from the sheltered workshop where he works a few days a week. He walked over and gave her one of his Special Hugs as well. I could see too the light in her eyes brighten and the smile on her face widen after getting a hug from JJ. I left the store thinking that my boy had just made 3 people’s lives better and happier just by being himself.

Our Special Needs people can teach us so much about how to live. Just think of how much better this world would be if we all hugged 3 people a day. Think of how much happier others would be if they heard their names called with such joy. Think of how pleased God would be if we all smiled, laughed, loved, and hugged with such pure and happy hearts.

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV)

Joseph J. Mazzella