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5 Things You Learn Living With Someone Who Has Autism

Having someone with special needs in your life can change how you look at and live life.

Rhyanna Pettry

Jan 09, 2019

5 Things You Learn Living With Someone Who Has Autism

I know you're thinking, can one person really change my life?

Well let me tell you...

1. Loving Someone With Special Needs Makes You Special

Loving someone with special needs comes with challenges, and with these challenges you will grow in patience, kindness, and compassion. Patience is learned when you are faced with stubbornness, sensory overload, lack of attention, and the inability to comprehend situations. You learn to step back and look at the situation for what it is and let things work their course. Kindness is learned when you are able to look past the disability and look at the ability and see the joy brought about by special needs. Compassion is learned in the hardest of times. During a meltdown you might not be able to understand what is going through their mind, but your only goal is to make things better. By loving someone with special needs you learn to love in a special kind of way.

2. Everyone Deserves the Same Kind of Love

Just because someone has special needs, it does not mean that they should be loved any differently. Every child is loved and nurtured growing up, and a child with special needs receives the same love as any other child. A parent of a child with special needs will not love their child any less for their special needs.

3. Look Beyond the Impossible and See the Possible

Sure, a special needs child may be developmentally behind the other children their age, but they might excel in a certain area. Maybe that child is amazing at problem solving, but can't read. Maybe they are non-verbal, but they can communicate through a device. Maybe they don't have the fine motor skills to feed themselves, but today they were able to hold a fork in their hand for the first time. It is easy to look at the things that seem impossible, but there are so many things that are possible. The lives of special needs individuals are filled with possibilities, you just have to look beyond the surface to see them.

4. Their Biggest Need is to Be Accepted For Who They Are

Someone with special needs is still human. They have things that they do and don't like, they like certain music, they show love, they have feelings, and they desire to be accepted. In society, we all strive for acceptance, so what makes someone with special needs any different? They are who they are. They have their flaws, but so do we. They might express themselves in different ways, but it is our job to accept them for who they are. By letting them be themselves, we are making an environment that is accepting and loving of special needs.

5. They Have the Biggest Hearts

Individuals with special needs are some of the most loving people you will ever meet. Special needs children love to cuddle and show compassion towards you. They love to be around the people they love and show their love towards them in whatever way best suits them. Their hearts or unimaginable big, and they will change your heart too, you just have to give them a chance.

What Do I Know?

My older brother with non-verbal autism.

You might be wondering how anyone without first hand experience could write this. For the past 18 years of my life I have been living with a sibling with non-verbal autism. Through the highs and the lows of it all, I would not change a single thing about my life. I have learned so much over the years and have been changed in so many ways by loving someone with special needs.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

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5 Things You Learn Living With Someone Who Has Autism

Having someone with special needs in your life can change how you look at and live life.

1. Loving Someone With Special Needs Makes You Special

2. Everyone Deserves the Same Kind of Love

3. Look Beyond the Impossible and See the Possible

4. Their Biggest Need is to Be Accepted For Who They Are

5. They Have the Biggest Hearts

What Do I Know?

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The Best Lines from the Fab Four

And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make

The sun is up, the sky is blue, it's beautiful and so are you

Love is old, love is new, love is all, love is you

There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be

Life is very short, and there's no time for fussing and fighting, my friend

He say, "I know you, you know me", One thing I can tell you is you got to be free

Oh please, say to me, You'll let me be your man. And please say to me, You'll let me hold your hand

It was twenty years ago today, Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play. They've been going in and out of style, but they're guaranteed to raise a smile

Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see

Can you hear me? When it rains and shine, it's just a state of mind

Little darling, it's been long cold lonely winter. Little darling, it feels like years since it' s been here. Here comes the sun, Here comes the sun, and I say it's alright

We danced through the night and we held each other tight, and before too long I fell in love with her. Now, I'll never dance with another when I saw her standing there

I love you, I love you, I love you, that's all I want to say

You say you want a revolution. Well you know, we all want to change the world

All the lonely people, where do they all come from. All the lonely people, where do they all belong

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends

Hey Jude, don't make it bad. Take a sad song and make it better

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away. Now it looks as though they're here to stay. Oh, I believe in yesterday

And when the brokenhearted people, living in the world agree, there will be an answer, let it be.

And anytime you feel the pain, Hey Jude, refrain. Don't carry the world upon your shoulders

I'll give you all I got to give if you say you'll love me too. I may not have a lot to give but what I got I'll give to you. I don't care too much for money. Money can't buy me love

All you need is love, love is all you need

Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

Blackbird singing in the dead of night, Take these broken wings and learn to fly. All your life, You were only waiting for this moment to arise

Though I know I'll never lose affection, for people and things that went before. I know I'll often stop and think about them. In my life, I love you more

Obviously the best superpower.

There have been many lessons learned.

1. The importance of traditions.

2. How to be thankful for family and friends.

3. How to give back.

4. What the word "community" really means.

5. That it isn't about the destination, but the journey.

6. The consequences of making bad choices.

7. To trust people, until you have a reason not to.

8. To be welcoming and accepting of everyone.

9. How to be my own, individual person.

10. How to work for what I want.

11. How to be great at giving directions.

12. How to be humble.

13. To be well-rounded.

14. How to be great at conflict resolution.

15. The beauty of getting outside and exploring.

16. To be prepared for anything.

17. That you don't always have to do it alone.

18. How to be creative.

19. To brush off gossip.

I have never been so thankful to know you.

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

Don't freak out

Email the professor

Attend the first class

Keep attending class

Have a backup plan

Remember that everything works out at the end

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