After years of attending Fede e Luce school events, I decided to take my three children—ages ten, eight, and four—to summer camp. It was a decision I wrestled with. I wasn't sure it was the right thing for them, and I realized later that I had drawn them into something I wanted without asking what they really thought.
The camp wasn't filled with disabled children as I'd expected, but the atmosphere was joyful. There were so many young people there, including Irene and Laura, my daughter Benedetta's closest friends.
Two teenagers made me uneasy. They weren't always easy to approach.
One of them was Mario, a man in his thirties who was blind and struggled with serious behavioral problems. He had made it clear to my son Tommaso—with a sharp tap on the head—that he didn't appreciate the little boy hovering around him. After that, I warned my children to keep their distance from Mario to avoid another incident.
Whether it was the crowd, the unfamiliar setting, or all the stairs, Mario seemed on edge for the first few days. When he got agitated, his pinches really hurt. All the more reason to keep the children away from him.
I found myself watching Tommaso often. Eight years old, a bit anxious, he kept walking up to Mario with the same questions: "Hi Mario. How are you? Are you okay? I'm Tommi. Give me your hand." Inside, I was thinking, "I hope this goes well."
On the third day, Mario was lying on the grass, rocking back and forth, biting his hand, looking for someone to pinch. I watched Tommi approach him with those same questions. I made myself stay put and turned back to my group. Two minutes later, someone tapped my shoulder and pointed.
What I saw took my breath away. It was beautiful—pure tenderness. Tommaso had stretched out on the grass and rested his head on Mario's belly. Mario was letting him. He sat perfectly still, as if afraid any movement might disturb the small friend beside him.
We all stood there in disbelief. The moment happened again over the following days. I think it was Tommi's victory. Or maybe Mario's. You be the judge.
Because of Mario, my doubts about Fede e Luce camps disappeared. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
Huberta, 2000