Strength, Loyalty, and the Road Ahead

I have always been someone who feels connected to fairness and the rules. If I saw someone being picked on, I spoke up. It did not matter if I understood every piece of the situation. What mattered to me was that someone needed a friend, an ally, someone to say, “This is not okay.” In trying to help, I sometimes blundered through it. I have made mistakes while trying to stand up for others, but my heart has always been in the right place. Being a champion for other people is something that has always felt right to me. Fairness has always been more than just a rule to follow; it is something I feel deep inside.

Making friends was never easy for me. Understanding the give and take of conversations and picking up on social cues often felt like trying to read a book written in a language I did not understand. I had to work harder to find my friends, those who could see past my differences and recognize the loyalty and kindness I had to offer. But when I made friends, they were real friendships, built on something deeper than just fitting in. I have always valued my friends and worked hard to keep them. I am grateful for the people who have accepted me for who I am and who have stood by me, even when communication has been hard.

My early years were full of changes that shaped who I am today. When I was young, my parents divorced. It was a hard time, and not long after, my dad left my life completely. It would have been easy to feel lost, but my mom became my constant, my greatest supporter. She never gave up on me. She fought for me to have what I needed, even when it meant making hard choices. She understood me when the world often did not. Her belief in me gave me the strength to keep going, even during the hardest days.

At one point, my mom packed up our small family, me, her, my sister, our dog, and my bearded dragon and moved us across the country. She did not do it because it was easy. She did it because she believed I deserved a better chance. She moved us to a place where there were more supports, better opportunities, and a future where I would be seen for who I am, not just for the challenges I faced. Starting over in a new place was scary, but it also gave me hope that better things were possible.

Autism has made certain parts of life more complicated for me. Understanding spoken instructions, picking up on unspoken social rules, and managing the overwhelming amount of information coming at me all the time have never been simple. But it has also given me gifts: the ability to be fiercely loyal, a sense of justice that runs deep, and a heart that sees the value in people when others might overlook them. I see details that others miss, and I notice when someone needs a helping hand or a kind word.

Reading stories from others like me made me realize I was not alone in my experiences. I have always stuck to my dreams with determination and loyalty like the kind I show my friends. I know sometimes my path will be different and sometimes harder, but still full of opportunities for success, joy, and meaning. Hearing about other people’s journeys has helped me believe even more in my own dreams and goals.

Today, I am proud of where I am and the person I am becoming. My journey has not been a straight line. It has been full of twists, turns, and lessons. But it has also been full of victories, both big and small. From learning how to advocate for myself to finding friendships that last, I have proven time and time again that challenges do not define a person’s future. Success looks different for everyone, and I have learned that what matters most is not how fast you get there, but that you keep moving forward.

Growing up with autism has shaped me, but it has not limited me. It has made me more determined, more compassionate, and more aware of the strength it takes to walk your own path. And as I continue to move forward, I carry with me the lessons of my past, the support of those who love me, and the unshakable belief that my story is only just beginning. I am excited to see where the next chapter of my life will take me.