It's the little things...

It's finding an inexpensive healthy/organic food store right around the corner (inexpensive AND healthy... quite the oxymoron, I know).

It's when a kid finally understands the concept of subtraction and gets so excited about it.  And you can see his excitement by the light in his eyes and his flailing arm movements, because he can't talk.

It's 4 different people commenting on how much they like your Jesus/Pochahontas sandals and how "in style" they are right now, even though you've had them for over a year.

It's seeing the same people on the commute everyday.  In a city as big as New York, there are about 10 strangers I see on a daily basis.  I'd be worried if one of them were missing.

It's one of those strangers striking up a conversation with you about where you go and what you do, and saying "see you tomorrow", because in reality, you will.  At 7 am nonetheless.

It's an amazing para who asks for your instruction and advice when dealing with the students, even though it's really only your 4th day.  It's all about validation... in the end it's what we're all looking for.

It's a teacher (co-worker teacher, not my teacher) being disappointed when you say you aren't going to lunch with her today because you have to get to school.

It's bringing delicious eggplant parmesan leftovers for lunch.

These things make life really pretty great.

(PS: I may have been incorrect about the "autistic child"/"child with autism" thing... I've read so many official (or whatever) things that say use autistic as an adjective.  So whereas I may not personally agree with it, I suppose it is acceptable.  But we always use adjectives to modify the noun, and I don't believe that autism modifies a person, but that the person is still a person, just with different abilities.  Ok, maybe I'm getting ahead of myself.  Just my two cents!)