Noah has several superpowers. I think a lot of special needs people do if there is some one paying close attention. He has super hearing, a super smile, and a super cool ability to remember people and their names. I know. I know what you’re thinking. How do you know? It’s not like he can actually say their names. Well, aren’t you shortsighted?
I’ve mentioned Noah’s friend Miss Carly in past posts. What a sweet friend she is, and we miss her since we’ve moved away. I met Carly and her parents at a football game one fall, and stopped by to introduce myself – because that’s just what I do. I see a person with CP and I go speak to them. We chatted a bit, then I went on my way. Fast forward seven to eight months, I saw Carly again at church, and she remembered my name! I walked into the room, and she exclaimed, “I know you!” I didn’t remember her name, but fortunately I had written it in the notes on my phone. “You’re Amelia!” That is a super power. One that I do not possess.
Noah doesn’t exclaim in the same way Carly does, but he exclaims nonetheless. Noah does it with his smile, or as I sometimes call it, his excite-o-meter. The wider his smile, the more excited he is. I’m pretty sure that some of his smiles are so large they register on the Richter scale. If he meets you and you speak with him, the next time you see him the sooner you will receive a smile. The more he likes you, the bigger the smile will be.
“But Amelia,” you ask, “How do you know he remembers their names?” I’m getting there. Sheesh.
So we moved some months back. Again. And guess what happens when you move? You meet all new people. So. Many. Names. A new coaching staff. A new football team. New football fans. New schools for the boys. New friends for Noah. New church members. My poor little brain just can’t keep up. But I am trying, because I really love meeting new people.
Noah is better at it than I am. We can be in a room of people, give him a name, and he will look for that person until he finds them. If he knows exactly where they are (especially if they are talking – he remembers voices as well – maybe better), he will just glance in that direction. Often times he already knows where that person is in the room, and he’ll look straight at them – or if they’ve moved, he’ll look at their last position first. A super power.
So, do I ever wish Noah could speak? Every minute of every day. But I especially wish it when we see someone we’ve recently met, because he would be able to tell me that person’s name.
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