Misunderstood

Sitting quitely at the kitchen table in his own little world, my younger brother, Nathan, occupies himself by carefully drawing a picture of the sunset seen from the park across from our house. I watch his careful sketching and shading of the golden yellow colored pencil that he grips in his steady hand. I remember how he can be such a perfectionist sometimes. While we watch the orangey-pink sun sink away into the ocean, taking a stroll at the park with our family and our canine family member, Tony, is one of his favorite pastimes.

Last Saturday was Nathan’s 13th birthday. I can imagine the next few years or so as another huge chapter of his life. Although, I can also imagine the next few years of his life will not be the exact same as any other typical pre-teen’s life. I mean, like any other boy, he does spend hours playing SuperSmash Bros. on Gamecube and other videogames, but on a more serious note, there are factors that hinder his ability to live a completely normal life. Sixth grade, opposed to the easy-going days of elementary school, is an almost completely new, different experience especially for him. Surely, the work load is a little heavier, subjects and assignments slightly harder, and the peers… a little more judging.

I guess some of Nathan’s classmates can’t understand him and the effects of his Autism. No. Not at such a naive age.