“The store is closing today, Jill. I went up there to pick up our prescriptions and she told me to tell you how much she will miss you. If you can go up there, I think it would be good for you to say goodbye in person.”

Yes, I need to say goodbye, I thought.  My night was busy, but I needed to do this.

When I walked into our Rite Aid store, I saw both pharmacists and the pharmacy technician behind the counter. There stood my friends busy working. I made eye contact with one of the pharmacists and she said, “Don’t make me cry!”

It was too late for me. Tears began to flow as each one came out behind from the pharmacy counter so I could say goodbye to each one personally. We hugged and exchanged cell phones numbers to stay in touch. As the one pharmacist began to type my name into her cell phone, I started to spell my last name. She looked at me and we both started to laugh. This woman knows more about me than a lot of people and certainly knows how to spell my name!

This might sound so strange to be upset about my pharmacy closing, but these people have been with us the entire time of our autism journey. David and I have felt like we are stumbling our way on this journey and these wonderful people have been our counselors.

It reminds me of Moses and his father-in-law, Jethro. Moses was overloaded with work and he was weary from the daily demands placed on him.

Jethro listened to Moses and replies in Exodus 18:18-19a, “You…will only wear yourself out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you.”

Like Moses, we can’t do this alone. Autism is too big and heavy. We need help.

These wonderful ladies have been our ‘Jethros’. They have answered our countless questions, given us emergency refills when we ran out, or called doctor offices on our behalf. They have gone above and beyond what I would expect a pharmacy to do to help us. When I think of all the doctors, specialists, teachers that have helped us with Sarah, these wonderful ladies are right up there as part of our ‘Sarah team’.

When I was leaving the pharmacy tech told me, “I hope you know that the Gregorys are family to us!”

They have been family to us, too.

Today I said goodbye to a vital part of the ‘Sarah team’, but I am so deeply humbled and amazed how God has placed such special people in our lives. I am grateful that people truly care for Sarah and want the best for her, too.

This journey is wearisome, but I am thankful for these ‘Jethros’ that came alongside us in our time of need.  I pray God will be with them in this new chapter.