Autism Acceptance...Shell support

    Emily with Miss Wendy, Miss Laurie &

                         Miss Pattie    

I'm blogging about the Shell gas station at the corner of Cahaba Valley Road and I-65 south again. You can read my original post about this station under "True Colors Red" from last April. 

When you find a place that accepts your child, you become a frequent visitor. It feels safe, nonjudgmental and even a fun place to go. 

The employees and manager at this particular station embrace Emily. She walks in and they ask her how her day was at school. She will independently walk up to them and tell them about things that are coming up at school she's excited about. They are always attentive and encouraging. Just recently she told them she was going to the prom. Without missing a beat Miss Pattie told her under no circumstances was she to kiss a boy. They have fun with her and treat her as if she were no different than any other customer. Ok, well they do treat her differently. She gets pretty special treatment from them. They go over and beyond what customer service is. They come from behind the counter to give her hugs. They ask me questions about her and are genuinely interested. They make her feel accepted and loved. I have written corporate about this station and will be doing so again. Miss Donna, the manager, always has a hug for Emily and if I come in without her she asks me where their girl is. If I had one wish, it would be for acceptance like this. One store making a huge impact on the life of a child with autism and her mama. A shell station. Acceptance can happen anywhere, at any given time,  if there are people who just take a moment to listen and learn. 

Thanks for reading~

Jessica