Mafe Maria: Personal stories by autism parent mentor, Maria Stultz
Sometimes we get stuck or lost on our way to our goals. In my experience as an autism parent, Son-Rise Program mom, and special needs homeschooler, I’ve learned that using support relevant to my purpose is crucial at key moments in the journey. Allowing myself the help I need can make the difference between succeeding and quitting.
A poem to celebrate "rising from my ashes" in the middle of the 2020 pandemic thanks to the nurturing support of a special program and community.
Light always follows darkness. I’ve learned to embrace that dark space; that pause; that moment of transformation. One more time I emerge gloriously from it, ready for my next adventure.
Put against the grain of the world I fear. Criticism points to doubts I hold about myself, and it’s gotta be for me to claim my strength, to align with truth, to become my highest potential letting go of the belief that I am not enough.
My path parenting and educating a special child is completely out of the mould, and the uncertainty about its results brings recurring fear and stress which I must fight to continue walking.
Learning about “talents” and my nature as a creator to dissolve one more layer of the limiting thought that I need to do and be more than I already am.
Stimulus at Kiki’s bowling class made me realize my fear regarding kids around him. By dissolving my fear I gave myself joy and the chance that Kiki will mirror my shift and expand in this area.
Inquiry on a nagging stressful thought helped me clarify my purpose as Joaquin’s mother, shifting my focus from future outcomes to the tools, beliefs, and values I offer him now.
October was so amazingly expansive, I didn’t have any time to update this blog with the many amazing things that occupied my days… I was busy bringing on board three amazing new volunteers in Joaquin’s Son-Rise Program. I was also extremely intentional, using my “eye or Mordor” focusing on areas I wanted to help develop […]
Joaquin’s pretend traffic lights… This image represents Joaquin’s oldest most recurring activity. I’ve joined this game many times, and I’ve been deeply challenged by it often. This morning, as I contemplated the hallway to the kitchen full of lights (not green ones), and I experienced the discomfort this explosion of objects causes in my experience, […]
Having embraced my unhappiness for the last three days, I emerge today peaceful, happy and loving, and ready to go on with my present life. And because I can see clearly now without the clouds of resistance and self-judgement, I also have a few words of wisdom for my past and future unhappy self. So […]
I think I just passed a test… Was suddenly confronted by circumstances with the parallel universe where I could’ve gotten my dream (last year’s dream, anyway) of becoming a successful artisan. As I contemplated the reality that the Universe didn’t want it for me and redirected my path in such a direct and eloquent way, […]
Have been going through a blah time all the way since around Thanksgiving. Been so bummed down by this mood since it’s such a long drop from the high I had reached by chance a month ago. I was doing so well… getting it so much, that I even thought I didn’t need any more […]
We built the son-rise playroom and Kiki’s progress slowed down; I got discouraged, depressed. Prompt support help me discard limiting beliefs and get back on track inspired and driven.
From the trenches of our Son-Rise bubble, here are the highlights shared with friends and family during June 2010, our 2nd month into the program.