I Have An Older Brother: Do You Have Any Siblings?

When I hear the question, “Do you have any siblings?”, I am forced to reply yes. “An older and younger brother”, I explain. Though, often times, I feel as though I do not have an older brother. As children, our differences blurred. Both him and I could run across sandy beaches and green hills with the same laughter coursing throughout our bodies. We could battle against each other in Pokemon and watch Saturday morning cartoons together. Yet, with time it became clear to my parents that something was different about my brother. What started with nervous tics and utterances became signs to my parents of an underlying condition. At age seven, my brother was diagnosed with autism. Throughout our time as children, I failed to understand what
Though at the time I did not attribute his verbal and physical patterns to a child with autism, I did see it as an outlet for feelings of anxiety or elation. And so, I tried to understand others’ behaviors as best as I could before judging, to be respectful of everyone despite some minor differences. Even now, with the knowledge of his condition, I am constantly trying to understand the workings of his mind, how he sees or hears differently than I. And while I may never get a final and definite answer for my brother, it is this constant desire to build understanding with people, be it my brother or not, that further guides me in my life.
Intertwined with my core value of empathy, I also began to better understand acceptance and tolerance. I felt that I was cheated out of a sibling relationship, for others had siblings they could trust and run to for advice. I continue to ask myself how my life could be different if he was “normal”, but I am slowly beginning to realize that dwelling on this possibility will not serve me any good. And so, I am constantly learning more about autism and other neurological conditions as I learn to accept my brother’s