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Shary Gentry
Jul 232 min read
Take a Seat
A few years ago, John and I went to a movie with my dad. As we walked into the theater, there was no one in the seats, but we noticed...
370
Shary Gentry
Apr 181 min read
Into the Deep
Over the years, John and I have taken Mark to movie after movie. Moviegoing is one of the most normal experiences we have as a family....
360
Shary Gentry
Mar 142 min read
Beyond Granola
In understanding autism, we are all blind men living in a world of elephants, and I learned that through a glimpse into my son's concept...
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Shary Gentry
Feb 192 min read
My Boo
During the summer Ali was eleven and Mark was seven, she and I read my favorite story, To Kill a Mockingbird, together. I became...
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Shary Gentry
Feb 82 min read
The Art of Conversation
One morning Mark was cuddling with Ali on our oversized chair while John, Ali, and I watched a show in which he had little interest. We...
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Shary Gentry
Feb 51 min read
Know Where to Look
November 30, 2016 I finally did it! I broke down and ordered Mark adaptive clothing. I simply have not found any pants that fit his...
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Shary Gentry
Feb 53 min read
The Greatest of These
When Love showed up, It was years before I expected him. Love spoke with a mild Southern accent, With maturity and reserve. I did not...
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Shary Gentry
Jan 303 min read
Blue Skies
When I was in first grade, my teacher assigned a long-term project. Students were instructed to design parachutes which they would later...
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Shary Gentry
Jan 262 min read
Choose To Laugh
As Mark walked into the garage to get in the car, he took a detour. He walked out to the trash cans that had been emptied early by the...
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Shary Gentry
Jan 222 min read
A Day in the Life of an Autism Mom
As we start our daily FaceTime, Mark lets me see his smiley face. He doesn’t always, or at least not for long. As usual, he starts to...
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Shary Gentry
Jan 173 min read
A Watched Pot
A couple months ago, I started having nightly FaceTimes with Mark. I was at my home, and he was at his. However, I found him agitated. He...
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Shary Gentry
Jan 101 min read
There Is Always Someone Who Knows More
While I've never been clever or disciplined enough to complete large jigsaw puzzles, I have come to enjoy the art and science of solving...
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Shary Gentry
Jan 33 min read
This Is Us
Five years ago, my confidence dropped. As I looked back at the huge investment I had made directly and indirectly in my son's...
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Shary Gentry
Dec 29, 20233 min read
Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
It is exciting to watch Mark grow up. When Ali, my daughter, started dating her boyfriend a few years ago, I was nervous about how Mark...
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Shary Gentry
Nov 20, 20231 min read
Him and Me Against The World
I don’t know when or how my son became autistic, as some people like to say, or a person with autism, the term others insist upon, but I...
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Shary Gentry
Nov 6, 20232 min read
Excellence Takes Time
When I was a teenager, I swam competitively all year round. My coach told me I had the physical ability to be a top-level swimmer but...
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Shary Gentry
Oct 15, 20231 min read
Outside the Box
When I was just a baby, My dad was unorthodox. The man volunteered to change diapers. He was outside the box. When Dyan and I became...
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Shary Gentry
Oct 8, 20231 min read
Finding the Missing Peace
In the ocean my son's frustration dissolves. The repetition and rhythm of the waves rock him and me into relaxation. We drift away from...
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Shary Gentry
Oct 1, 20233 min read
Chasing My Own Tale
I was born "Shary Dow Taylor," but I should have been born "Dyan Crabb Jennings." My paternal great-grandfather, the son of Hiram...
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Shary Gentry
Sep 30, 20231 min read
Love Letter From a Child With Autism on Mother's Day
I'm expected to give you a flower. I struggle to sign a card. I know that you want me to talk with you, But that is very hard. Words do...
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