Pathfinders

At the conference on education children with Down syndrome that I went to a few weeks ago at CW Post, the key note speaker spoke of pathfinders in our lives. People who have worked through obstacles, making a trail for people to follow. I don't want to say paving the way,  because a paved road would be easy to follow, and much of the time, the roads we travel are not paved. They are paths that are barely visible, if they've ever been walked. They are overgrown, they are unexplored territories. There are many pathfinders in life. Were you a pathfinder for someone? Who was a pathfinder for you?
I can think of many pathfinders in my life. Most recently, in the area of my life that seems to be biggest mystery, they were the women who shared their knowledge and their wisdom on educating their special needs children. They are the women who saw the potential in their children and chose to reach that higher bar, to stray from the road more traveled, to head into the unknown. They are the women who saw potential in my son, and without any pressure shone their beacon of light on me, and gave me a path to follow.
I also find strength in the people around me, and if not pathfinders, they are the people who guide me on my way, pushing me back on the path that I've chosen. They are the ones who listen to my woes on a bad day, and rejoice in my happiness on the good days. My history, my upbringing, and my ideals also play a big role in keeping me on my path. They are the ones who remind me of my goals. They are the ones who support my decisions, or question them when it seems like I might have lost my way.
As I travel along my path, I hope I make it easier for someone else down the line, and I hope I can provide the same support I receive, when that support is needed.