I first began to connect with parents of special kids when Luke was ten. Prior to that, my life was consumed by accommodating his daily needs; stressful, often heartbreaking years during which the state of wellbeing seemed far away, leaving little time or inclination for finding new friends.

Stuck in isolation, my personal solitary confinement, I soldiered on in the midst of some bleak days: alone.

And then, as it happened, the tide began to turn. Luke was newly enrolled in a wonderful school and I received much needed support from his devoted team. The added bonus was the chance to meet the parents of his classmates.

I noticed that I was happier and had a genuine sense of relief when connecting with others in similar situations. What struck me was the universal language we parents spoke. While specific details were unique, the common theme was the experience and ensuing feelings that accompanied our individual journeys.

Further, the more conversations I shared, the less alone I felt, and the more it registered with me that we are truly walking the same path. Each time I made a new connection, I also was making one for Luke, thankful that I was meeting others living a similar life.

My network was expanding. I had friends within the special needs community. For the first time in my journey I enjoyed a welcomed sense of belonging. The other universal thread to my growing friendships was that each parent echoed similar sentiments. We may be isolated from one another, but when connected, we discover that we have lived parallel lives.

With each connection came new information, comfort and the knowledge that by sharing our stories we give one another infinite and immeasurable support.

This brings me to one of my favorite areas of our site: Lambdoodle Blog.

Founded on the age-old spirit of storytelling, we invite you to share your story. How and what you share is entirely up to you. Recognizing that each journey is personal and often private, unique to our own perspective, we are honored by your generosity of heart.

For your convenience and easy reading, Lambdoodle Blog is organized based on your direct connection to your special person:

- Meet and Greet Your Special Friends
- Moms and Dads
- Siblings
- Grands (nothing like a Grandparent's view)
- Friends and Everyone In Between
- Words of Comfort (for those who appreciate healing quotes)
- Share your Story (posting area)

You are encouraged to contribute as often as the spirit moves and in as many categories that apply. To do so, please CLICK HERE for succinct, clear directions on how to submit. We'll review and post your stories as quickly as possible. The What's New button on the Home page will alert you when new stories are published.

Thank you for taking the time to share; you never know who your story will inspire, who you will help or whose heart you will touch.

We invite you to share your comments and suggestions by emailing us at Blog@Lambdoodle.com. We are so appreciative of your thoughts; we pledge to respond in a timely manner.

The gifted author, John Steinbeck, said of storytelling:

'We spend all of our life trying to be less lonesome. One of our ancient methods is to tell a story begging the listener to say and to feel, "Yes, that is the way it is, or at least that is the way I feel it." You're not as alone as you thought.'

This is the essence of Lambdoodle, and specifically why we created Lambdoodle Blog. The truth is that we have more friends than we know. Each new friend is a kindred spirit, making the road far less lonesome, considerably more comforting, and gratefully more joyful.

To lessen the isolation never fails to lift one's spirits; this perhaps, is the greatest gift we can give.

Welcome to our story center, where we trust you'll agree, that 'once upon a time' never sounded so sweet.