This year I changed the light bulb on my front porch so that my residence would participate in a small way in the global Light It Up Blue campaign. But I can't bring myself to take the blue light out and change it back to a white light. You see as a parent of a child with autism every day is autism awareness day. So I think I will keep the blue light.
The blue light is a more subdued light than a white light, but it is beautiful and different not less. It's kind of like a person with autism. A person with autism might not look like the majority of neurotypical people, but as a blue light they represent a beautiful and unique part of our society.
Special thanks to Kerry Magro and Autism Speaks for leading this initiative. Here is a video of some of the world's buildings that participated in Light It Up Blue in 2012.
The world's famous buildings can't light it up blue year round, but maybe as parents we should keep the blue light outside our homes. Every time we turn it on we can remind ourselves that our loved ones with autism are different not less. And if you are driving around your town after April and still happen to see a blue light, maybe that home is a place where every day is autism awareness day.
Occasionally we break from announcing a new Autism Light and provide a Special Post as we are doing today. Thank you for reading the Autism Light blog. Will you be tomorrow's Autism Light?
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