Stop

Just stop looking like that

Stop any negativity that may be playing in your brain

Stop

Yes, to the eye you think you know him

You think you know his cute personality

Think you’re aware of who he is

And the struggles he has been through

You’re not

If I could count on my fingers how many people I know

I might need more fingers

If I could count on my fingers the strongest people I know

I’d only need one

Him

He is stronger than the Olympic athlete you see performing on television

Stronger than any person who can break through cement with just their hands

Yes

He is a strong as steel

But yet, is as gentle and loving as a puppy

And he is as comical as you would imagine any stand-up comedian

Not only so

He is my brother

I know, my opinion may be biased

But at the same time, looking through his life

It’s true

I couldn’t imagine the strength I would need to be him

Growing up in such a judgemental world

He doesn’t realize how much strength he has

Because people just can’t understand

That autism is only a word

A word that could never define him

His corky personality isn’t because of it

And I know he lives his best life

But all I can wish is for people to stop

They make jokes about the word and feel no empathy at all

It’s cruel

Yes, autism is only a word

But that doesn’t take away any meaning

And it doesn’t make it okay to shed any negativity on the word

Because my brother is amazing 

Of course, he annoys me as any sibling would

But he embraces love and kindness to everyone

So, my only wish would be

For people to see him as the normal kid he is

But above all, unique