Barb Rentenbach

The other day I had the privilege to see Barb Rentenbach in the UT library auditorium.  I had heard her name previously but was completely unaware of the experience that I was about to entail.  I have to say that hearing her friend Susan talk about working with Barb was one of the things that hit me the most.  Susan quoted Barbs book stating, "everything is within walking distance if you have the time."  This quote struck a cord with me, because it's true.  There have been countless times that I have worked with kids with autism and there have been people who expected them to grasp a concept and be able to do something the moment it was explained to them.  They would get frustrated and want to give up claiming the individual could not master the task.  I would sit down and let the kid go at it at their own pace, and as long as it took them to grasp the concept I would help them.  I would see them grasp things, or understand things that people thought they could not do, all because I gave them time.

Barb has written books, and done countless things I'm sure at one point no one would have thought her able to accomplish.  She has shown me what I have believed in my heart for years, that children and individuals with autism are smarter and more in tune with the world than people give then credit for.  I remember one girl I worked with, everyone told me that she was severely autistic and mentally handicapped didn't understand anything.  One day she was doing something I did not want her to do and someone told be there was no use explaining anything to her, that she wouldn't understand.  I refused to believe that.  I told her that she needed to stop doing what she was doing because it was not nice.  It took patience and understanding until she finally realized that she shouldn't be doing what she had been doing.  This girl, who supposedly did not understand anything people said to her, was listening to me and learning.  All because I gave her the time and I believed she could accomplish the task I had set before her.  

Seeing Barb and everything she has accomplished, showed me that this girl I worked with, is probably capable of so much more than I ever imagined.  I have always known that there would be bright futures for the kids I have worked with, and I believe Barb is giving others that same realization.  People with autism are amazing individuals capable of more than many people believe they are capable of.  I also think Barb does something else.  I think she shows individuals with autism what they are capable of.  How it's more than they have ever thought possible, that any dream they have ever dreamed is within reach.  And most importantly, that it's possible to share their dreams with the rest of the world.