temple and high school - heaven on earth?

I spent yesterday at the high school helping with registration. I spent this morning at the temple. You might think this would be a tale of contrasts. You know... the worldliness of high school vs. the escape-from-the-world of the temple.

However, for Alec, they are both a slice of heaven on earth! He absolutely loves to go and do baptisms for the dead. He looks forward to every other week when it is the boys turn for Kevin to take them. We were at Yuba Lake in July and Alec was quite upset that I refused to take him back home so he could go to the temple. One Sunday Kevin was not at church (sick, I think) and Alec left priesthood meeting and dragged me out of YW so I could reassure him that Dad would still be able to take him to the temple Tuesday morning. (I wish Alec could articulate to me why the temple is so important to him and how he feels when he is there.)

And, as astonishing as it may seem, RHS has also been a place he absolutely loves to be! He is so excited to return to school. I took him with me to registration for about an hour. We hadn't even gotten out of the car when people starting yelling "Hey Alec" and waving to him. He just beams and gets a bit of a strut to his step.

High school has been really good for Alec. I think he spends the most enjoyable moments of his day walking down the halls giving high fives to people. He loves attending the athletic events and is their #1 fan! He counts student body officers, athletes, and very cute girls among his friends.

I wonder if:

a) it is due to Alec's outgoing, friendly personality
b) it is cool to be friends with those with disabilities
c) youth today are just more tolerant and accepting than they were when I was in school

Whatever the reason, for Alec it seems that the gap between this world and the other is sometimes not such a wide gap!