Today is one of those days that you know as a Mom with a son with autism will come.......but nothing can prepare you for the heartbreak of that moment.

It starts out simple enough. One of those gifts of March.....unseasonable warm day......spring will come!

All children on warm days run outside to play. Oh the excitement of summer to come is calling!

A little boy with autism, a precious second grader is no different.

My son Max reaches for his scooter and off he runs down the sidewalk. My heart goes to my stomach. I have been told in summers past by neighborhood Mom's that Max should not navigate the social environment of other children on his own. I don't need to be told I have seen the cruelty up close.. The children exclude him.......they run from him as he so badly wants to be their friend. They make fun of him in ways he does not understand. His social landscape in his mind is not the same as theirs.

They do not understand him. So three second graders, his classroom peers that live in our neighborhood refuse to be his friend. The other Mom's have done little to explain to their children Max's differences......have not reached out to us as a family.

Max's Mom is different too. But unlike Max she is not hurt by the exclusion. Not anymore. She has found her own friends.....people like her.

But Max's Mom heart is torn out by the hurt her little boy must endure. For the first time Max and his Mom talk about the pain.

Max's Dad follows him down the sidewalk. His Dad sees the exclusion and cruel treatment towards Max by his peers and brings Max home.

Dinner has just been put on the table. Mary looks up and is the first to say it........Max is sad........she sees he is crying.

What's wrong Buddies........I ask. He unleashes his fury. WHY do you follow me????? I want to be friends with the boys. Give me a CHANCE to be their friend. He hiccups as he pleads.......give me a chance over and over. PLEASE.....PLEASE......PLEASE!!!!!!

We follow you to protect you Max. Those boys are not nice to you. They do not understand you. And then I say it for the first time.

Your autism makes you different and they do not understand that you play differently.

They think I am ugly!!!! Everybody hates me. Mary has lots of friends and don't. Do they think I am ugly??? Do they think our family is stupid??????? It is not fair!!!!!

He is yelling loudly and we let him......the three of us Dad, Mom and Mary let him yell. Mary who is just 10 looks so sad for him. Her head in her hands. Dinner is cold. No on can eat.

Tell their Mom's to tell them to be nice to me!!!!!!!!

I tried Max. Their Mom's do not include me either. I am different too Max. I am a drug addict and alcoholic and they do not understand me either.

How do they know that about you????

I go on TV Max. You will understand when you are older. I fight for the rights of those that are different. Maybe someday you will do the same!!!!!!!

Now we are both crying. This is the little boy that saved my life. His autism was the reason I had the courage to get well from addiction. This little boy did not have a chance in hell in this lifetime if I had stayed sick. When I first contacted DP it was about Max not me........I had to get well for my little boy.

Through his tears and blue eyes he says something far beyond his years.....GOD MADE ME THIS WAY.

He did Max......he made you perfect. Mom Dad and Mary love you just the way you are. You will find people as you get older that will love and appreciate you for the way God made you.

He storms up stairs......slams his door and locks it.

A few minutes go by. Mary wants to know if we can go to Max's favorite ice cream store. Sure honey go ask him.

She knocks gently on the door. Max cracks the door open ever so slightly. Is Mom and Dad and Lucy going too he wants to know. Yep Mary says the whole family.

So we all climb in the beat up red van. Max carries Lucy. We surround him as his family that loves him.

Brian looks at me frequently.......he alone knows my heart is in pieces..........but right now we are all enjoying our ice cream

We have passed a milestone. It is our first conversation together about Max's autism. The truth will set you free.........