Swimming with the dolphins: one can dream

I have recently read a truly remarkable book "The reason I jump" written by Naoki Higashida who is severly autistic. Naoki gives an insight of what it is to be autisic. One of the chapters in the book answers the question "Why do you like being in the water?" Naoki gives a poetic explanation:
"In the water it's so quiet and I'm so free and happy there. Nobody hassles us in the water, and it's as if we've got all the time in the world...in the water we can really be at one with the pulse of time...
People with autism have no freedom. The reason is that we are a different kind of human, born with primeval senses. We are outside the normal flow of time, we can't express ourselves, and our bodies are hurtling us through life. If only we could go back to that distant watery past - then we'd be able to live as contentedly and as freely as you lot!"
As every chapter is exploring the inside world of an autistic person, I draw parallels with my own son, 11-year-old Sasha who has autsim. He is at his happiest by the sea, and I do believe he feels at home there, he is not scared of the waves, he is enthralled by its vastness.

Sasha worshipping the sea in Cornwall

For many years I have been toying with an idea of taking Sasha to Florida to swim with the dolphins.

I do not believe in miracle cures, and do not imagine my son would suddenly start to speak, having encountered the dolphins. But he loves the sea so much, that I believe swimming with the dolphins would provide him with the unforgettable, one-in-a-lifetime experience. Bonding with a big air-breathing mammal will definitely be an emotional experience. In the past, when we took Sasha to the London Aquarium, he was happy to spend hours watching the fish (while I was yawning with boredom). He seemed to be fascinated by the slow motion and the shapes in the water. This kind of experience is a sensory one for him, he is calm and happy.

BritMums' recent question: "What would you do if you won the lottery (specifically £20,000)?", made me think that if I were lucky to win £20,000, I would book a family trip to Key Largo, Florida and take my guys swimming with the dolphins.
Yes, £20,000 could be probably wiser spent on the house improvements, my kitchen is very dated, and would need at least £10,000 to improve it by getting rid of all the old-fashioned decor and units.

But you cannot put a price on your child's happiness. I would choose to take them to a magical place where they would be free and content.

Eddie in Cornwall

This post is an entry for BritMums #Spend20K Challenge sponsored by The National Lottery, with more ways to win more money on the new Lotto game. Find out more about new Lotto, which starts in October, here – www.national-lottery.co.uk