CHAPTER 83

2025-09-04

Caring for Lun, a son with special needs, requires patience, perseverance, and energy. Caring for his younger brother saves some energy, but patience and perseverance are still essential.

One night 27 years ago, my then-six-year-old son, sitting in the back seat of our car on the way home, told me, somewhat angrily, that a new Scout cadet that night was extremely unruly and had even deliberately left the line. I responded briefly, agreeing with his statement. In fact, I was delighted that my son's Scouting life was progressing.

At that moment, I thought to myself, the most unruly of all the Scouts was my son. He was the only one who had not participated in any indoor activities.

He had always sat glued to the bench at the entrance of the hall, neatly dressed in his Scout uniform, sitting in the same spot from the first lesson to the last, for half an hour, without saying a word, until I drove him home.

In Canada, there is such a young Scout, and also such a Scouting team so tolerant of him that he sat quietly for a year. The Scoutmaster said they didn't force members to participate; as long as they came, they could sit. "If he doesn't come, I go to him." If a young Scout didn't join his group, he would take the initiative to sit next to him and chat.

Recalling my son's first grade, to broaden his social experience, we arranged for him to join the Scouting group at a nearby elementary school every Monday evening from 6:00 to 8:30. First graders were called Beavers, and second graders were called Cubs. This shy new Beaver was extremely reluctant to join.

From the first lesson, he sat, and I didn't force him to join; I sat with him. By the fourth time, I couldn't contain myself anymore. Driving home, I sternly questioned him about his lack of participation. He didn't answer, his lips tightly sealed like a saltwater clam in freshwater. The next week, he still wore his uniform and followed me to the elementary school auditorium, where he sat on a bench. To avoid getting angry, I went home first and picked him up after class.

When he told me the new scouts were unruly, I immediately realized he had mentally embraced his place as a member of the Scouts and was participating mentally in their activities. This was a positive development. When I got home, I quietly told my wife, and she was delighted. We agreed to continue until the end of the semester. Since then, he told me about the other Scouts' activities and performances that evening.

As for next year's plans, we'll deal with them then.