“Now I See the Moon” by Elaine Hall is a story about a mother and son’s journey as he is diagnosed with autism.  As an acting coach, Elaine uses her resources in helping him become more independent.  In the process, she creates The Miracle Project.  The organization utilizes the performing arts as a connecting point for children with autism.  Children at various levels of autism find expression, collaboration, and higher self-esteem as they learn to perform together.  It is an intriguing concept and one I would love to try with my kids.  I can imagine how much enjoyment they could have.

Elaine also describes her struggles and triumphs as she adopts a boy from Russia with challenges.  She must also face a marital environment that poses a further challenge and eventually finds the strength through her spirituality to move on.  She regularly looks to her spirituality to guide her, which leads her to having a meaningful and rich life.:

The title of the book is from the quote by Mizuta Masahide:  “Barn’s burnt down – now I can see the moon.”  Any parent dealing with autism in their children can relate to this quote.  We see the moon every day in our children as barns burn down…