Blessed are the pure in heart...

Michelle is a freshman at Heritage High School. She has a high functioning form of autism, which means that socially, her maturity level is equivalent to that of a 10 to 12-year old, maybe younger. We are friends because she is so fun and she is so funny. She loves High School Musical and she is counting down the days until High School Musical 3 is released in theaters. She has a crush on Zac Efron and the youth pastor at our church and my friend Lindsay's brother, Silas, and a few other boys. Michelle and I have a lot in common, obviously.

We had a kick-off event for the new season of high school ministry last Wednesday at our church. It was an exciting night-it was full of anticipation, reunions, and new beginnings. Michelle told me that her birthday is on October 7. She cannot wait to be 15. That, and she cannot wait to graduate from high school. She usually talks about these two things as if they were synonymous.

Woah, slow down sister.

While we were eating dinner, and after I had retrieved her her third Dr. Pepper soda of the night, Michelle asked me if I would buy her a birthday present. I have never been more flattered when someone asked me to buy them a gift. She wants a High School Musical birthday card that is poster-sized.

Of course I'm going to get it for her.

Most people see Michelle and, even upon first glance, can tell that there is something different about her. I think it makes people uncomfortable that she is different and, because most people don't know what to do with uncomfortable feelings, they tend to remove themselves from the source of the afore-mentioned uncomfortable feelings. Unfortunately, this means removing themselves from the presence of Michelle. Michelle might be more comfortable when she is alone than when she is surrounded by people who will accept her, only because it is what she is used to. However, she is flattered when I like who she is. Every person that I introduced her to during the night was instantly her friend too. Before leaving, she informed me that she made ten new friends; it was a minor detail that she couldn't remember most of their names. She was estatic. And while she may have a medical condition that for diagnostic purposes has labeled her socially-behind, I learn so much from her. And I think she might be better at being a human being than I am. Michelle understands that she does not act the way she does so she is liked by other people. She acts the way she does because it is what makes her happy. I know that she likes herself, even though being herself is a little bit awkward, increasingly demanding, and somewhat overwhelming. She does what she does because it makes her happy. She laughs a lot. She makes me laugh a lot.

...for they will see God.