A quality I truly didn’t know before my daughter’s autism was appreciating the little things and celebrating them too. You see, in life, nothing is guaranteed. I mean it—nothing is guaranteed; everything is grace. My early steps with my daughter taught me this clearly: NOTHING IS GUARANTEED! What you consider ordinary may be deeply significant for someone else. Giving birth to a child, seeing them crawl at six months or older, watching them walk and talk by twelve months—it may seem normal to you because that’s the typical growth process of a child. But I assure you, it’s not a given.

As I walked this journey with my daughter, visiting specialists, I realized there were far worse situations than mine. I saw cases of cerebral palsy, I saw developmental delays, I witnessed so many cases that made me recognize the unimaginable grace I had been given. I stopped crying and instead became the one who comforted, the one who helped parents see what their children could do rather than what they lacked compared to others. Every step KN took, I celebrated—I jumped with her, cheered her on, and encouraged her.

The first time she felt ashamed after soiling herself, I was overjoyed. She had hidden in the bathroom to avoid the other children. That day, I realized my daughter had reached a new emotional milestone. I was so happy that I respected her embarrassment and discreetly cleaned her up in the bathroom, singing with joy, “Yay!!! My daughter knows shame!” I had even created a celebration song for every little progress she made.

This habit of appreciating small things didn’t stop with my daughter—I extended it to my daily life and the people around me. I became a cheerleader for everyone in my circle. One more step in their spiritual life, professional growth, and I’d dance as if they’d achieved something extraordinary.

Today, if you give me a thousand francs, I’ll dance as if you’ve handed me a million, because I’ve learned that what’s small to one person may mean the world to another. I remember an event we organized at church that required contributions. I contacted a sister who couldn’t attend due to work but still sent her donation. I danced over the phone, shouting my thanks and showering her with blessings. She laughed and said, “Auntie, it’s nothing, just twenty-five thousand francs—don’t dance so much!” But I told her, “Twenty-five thousand may be insignificant to you, but to someone else, it’s a huge amount.“

Appreciating and celebrating small things is a mark of gratitude and faithfulness. When you acknowledge your child’s progress, no matter how minor it seems, you recognize that something in their life has changed, that they’ve grown—and in doing so, you open the door to even greater progress.

Don’t be sad anymore. Recognize your child’s small steps, celebrate with them, and let them know you’re cheering them on. I can assure you, a path of progress—one you never even imagined—will unfold in your champion’s life.

“Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is dishonest in very little is also dishonest in much.“ —Luke 16:10

Stop taking your children’s small steps for granted. Starting today, celebrate them, and you’ll see them take giant leaps…

This text is an excerpt from the book “BEYOND DISABILITY” written by ARLETTE SALINE MBIDA.

We invite you to read the next article: “SEEING YOUR CHILD DIFFERENTLY: FOR SPECIAL PARENTS (VseA).”

EVERY STEP. EVERY STEP.