Todd talks to his mother, Melanie, about how families form around defining members and moments. The Levine family was created around his brother, Jay, and moved forward with the compassion and conviction of Melanie. They reflect on how they purely embraced who Jay was and how they saw a future of companionship and community for him in s2. E6. N16. of the Otherness Podcast titled Faith without knowing. Autism Family Reflections from Mom.

It took a while for Todd’s mother, Melanie, to join him for a family conversation on the Otherness Podcast. When they recorded this episode, Todd was able to remember how she led the Levine family into the uncharted waters of being truly present with his brother, Jay. Companionship for Jay was the top priority for Melanie, and she shares the experiences and images that fueled her faith and hope.

Todd’s brother, Jay, has a steady job, his own apartment, and a caring girlfriend. Objectively, one could say that Jay is a success as a man, let alone one with autism. In this conversation between Todd and his mother, Melanie, these successes are not the focal point. The more meaningful creations were the relationships that were fueled by Jay’s true desire to connect and set by Melanie’s steady faith in his capacity for companionship with individuals and his community.

Melanie shares an important family story of when she went to a local hardware store many years ago and met an employee there that reminded her of Jay. He wore a wedding ring and Melanie wondered who his wife was. She returned to the store a few days later and saw this man’s wife and was moved by how similar they were to each other as well as to Jay. The image of that couple stayed with her during Jay’s arduous yet fulfilling road towards being with someone who truly cared about him. Todd and Melanie also discuss how she went to the many school meetings to help Jay get the resources he needed being cooperative and non-adversarial, even if she was angry about what wasn’t being done for him. Todd describes what it was like to be forged in autism as Jay’s brother and how there was no real concept of abnormality in the relationship.

The Otherness Podcast is exploring and engaging autism through experienced stories with Dr. Todd Peter Levine and is available on most places and sites where you like to listen to podcasts.

S2. E6. N16. of the Otherness Podcast titled Faith without knowing. Autism Family Reflections from Mom.

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Opening Theme Song Music Credits
“Otherness Podcast Intro Theme Song and Music” by Nicholas Burling
Copyright 2021 Late Leopard Publishing/Nick Burling (ASCAP)
Administered by Late Leopard Publishing (ASCAP)
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Closing Theme Song Music Credits
“Otherness Podcast Outro Theme Song and Music” by Nicholas Burling
Copyright 2021 Late Leopard Publishing (ASCAP)
Administered by late Leopard Publishing (ASCAP)
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