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April 1st, 2015
Almost a quarter century ago, the Autism Society “launched a nationwide effort to promote autism awareness, inclusion and self-determination for all, and assure that each person with ASD is provided the opportunity to achieve the highest possible quality of life.” Autism is a topic close to my heart for many reasons, and I have been blessed to be able to watch a family member grow up with autism and blossom into an outstanding young man.
Instead of focusing on the spectrum or other aspects associated with autism, I want to focus on the amazing accomplishments of my younger cousin who has autism, the blessing he has been in my life and reflect on the mission of the Autism Society and National Autism Awareness Month.
It was just last night that I was talking with my mother about the fact that my younger cousin was accepted into a local community college where he will start taking classes next fall, after he graduates from high school. While this may not seem like a big deal to some people, to his parents, my mother and myself, this is an amazing accomplishment and yet another example of the great things someone with autism can accomplish if given the opportunity.
From the time my cousin was born, his parents were determined to treat him the same way they treated their other children. While there has obviously been challenges, they wanted him to have as normal of a childhood as possible and, because of their efforts, he has gone on to achieve much more than anyone could have ever imagined. His family’s drive for him to succeed, combined with his own effort and determination, has allowed him to take classes with the rest of the students in high school and become successful within those classes.
Many times people with autism struggle socially or in other specific aspects, but can be very intelligent in others. However, if they are not given the opportunity to succeed, their talents may never be noticed or developed. Moreover, at least in my experience, autistic people become focused on specific subjects and, despite their limitations in other aspects, become incredibly intelligent within the areas they focus on. For my cousin, his focus has been on trains since he was a young boy and a train conductor would be amazed at his knowledge. Even at a young age, he would walk up to me and start analyzing the type of train that he was playing with, how the engine worked, when it was made, the type of cargo it would normally carry and many other details that I did not expect a child of his age to know or understand. As he has grown older, he has expanded his knowledge into many different areas.
Despite his accomplishments in the classroom, the most impressive aspect of my younger cousin is his love for life and genuine care for other people. During his childhood, he had to undergo many operations due to various issues with his health, but, if you ever talked with him, you would never realize the challenges he has gone through. Both of my cousin’s younger brothers have been successful in sports and many other areas that he was not able to participate in growing up. This would lead many people to become angry or jealous; however, my cousin is the exact opposite, he is genuinely proud of his family’s accomplishments and loves and cares in a way that is rare in this day and age where many people are too focused on what is in it for themselves.
The autism society has the goal of raising awareness, funds and support for people with autism and their families. Without organizations like this, many people with autism may not be able to showcase their unique personalities and abilities to the world. Autism Awareness uses a ribbon with a puzzle pattern as their logo to reflect the mystery and complexity of the autism spectrum. The different colors and shapes represent the diversity of the people and families autism effects, while the brightness of the ribbon signals hope—hope that people with autism will live fuller and more complete lives through the increased awareness of autism, which could lead to early intervention and appropriate treatment.
Autism Awareness ribbons can be purchased online at: http://www.autism-society.org/about-the-autism-society/history/autism-awareness-ribbon/. Moreover, the website outlines many other areas where people can help by donating their time to the cause.
