Autism Answer: Spend an Hour with My Dad on his Birthday!

Today is my dad's birthday. 

He died five years ago, but not before my mom gathered family together and found volunteers (some with autism, some with bi-polar disorder, and some--my dad--dying of cancer) to film the pilot episode of Living with Lynette. A show where my brothers played their quirky selves, and my dad played himself, and my mom played herself, and we all played together for enormous and gorgeous reasons. 

Living with Lynette-- Written, directed and performed by brain expert Lynette Louise, The Brain Broad this is a comedy/movie pilot for a webseries. Just as Lynette specializes in autism so does this comedy highlight autism in its core cast members. The intention for this very funny pilot is to create a special membership site that invites people to send in clips of their special needs loved one in order to be randomly selected to be on the show. If this evolves as intended it will grow into an improvised webseries involving all levels from severely challenged to high functioning individuals. This is a comedy based on Lynette's life and everyone involved impressively 'acted' their role which was based on their actual disability. So though they actually have these challenges their performance was a work of fiction. However, the gentleman who died of cancer really did. If you would like to contribute or buy a DVD or read more about Lynette and her work go to LynetteLouise.com

This was my mom's beautiful way of giving my dad the gift of forever. Of giving all of us the gift of dad, forever. 

Through the magic of mom (which those of us who have Lived with Lynette sort of take for granted!) people with talent and a desire to give came together to film this pilot episode on a budget that is unheard of. Most of the people, crew and talent alike, have a mental health issue. One thing they desire and know the power of--the power when it is offered and the painful power of it's absence-- is support. So they stepped up. Mom pulled it off, because even though my dad had never been there for her, and rarely for us, he was there for his grand-kids. He was (eventually) there for my brother, Dar. 

He was there for us now, and he was dying.  So my mom produced the show where he could play the role of himself; the himself he was proud to have finally become. 

And being completely congruent with the spirit of my dad, the show is smart and hilarious!!!! 

I invite you, with all of my heart, to watch this show with me. Celebrate life, celebrate difference, and get comfortable with "wacky" while we all, if only for an hour, live with Lynette!!!!

Hugs, smiles, and love!!
Autism Answers with Tsara Shelton (Facebook)

Me and my dad.