Cerebral Palsy. Autism and a World

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Cerebral palsy

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sourced by Kwapi V

When I was four my first little brother was born and like any other older sibling I looked forward to the day I could teach him how to moonwalk or recite his ABCs. But as he got a couple months older I realized that day would never come and through the years I came to accept that he would never be the jock that I became or get to tell his friends how cool his big brother was; I realized he would never get to run home with an A in math like I used to or sneak into my room to play Nintendo or Sega like I did with my older brothers.

At 6 months my little brother was diagnosed with a "developmental disorder". At 4 you never understand what that really means but through the years you begin to understand what it looks like. I remember seeing the fear & agony in his eyes when he used to wake up in the middle of the night unable to breath but being incapable of saying what was wrong; I remember him avoiding unfamiliar faces as he cowered behind me because he knew he was a little bit different by the way people would stare at him, treat him; When I was nine I remember knocking out a boy at church because he threw something at him and at fifteen I remember punching our maid because she kicked him. And when my mother passed away I remember dealing with the pain and anguish of wondering if he understood she was gone.

There is a world out there; a place where every smile is more than just a polite gesture and every idle conversation means more to someone than just a common courtesy; A world that doesn't mind you laughing at Carlos Mencia "dee dee dee" jokes but hopes that your sense of humor is not merely a cover for underlying prejudices. It's a world where some places have big names like Cerebral Palsy or Down Syndrome or cool sounding spots like Autism. A place that some call disadvantaged but I call different; a place that others call special ed while the wiser realize that its blessed and special. Its a place where being sick is more than just a 3 letter word called the "flu" and getting well is more than just a doctor prescribed 3-day bed rest; its a world you may not understand but a world that needs your understanding; a place where kindness and love are insurmountable.

sincerely yours,
Kwapi

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