The Evernight Weekly Writing Challenge - Week 47

Worth Bragging About

My son.

Hands down he is worth bragging about. Let me tell you why.

His name is Hadrian and he turned thirteen this year. When he was born I knew there was something different about him. He was a very serious baby. Hardly laughed. Always studying things. When he was six months, the nurse said he was left-handed, but I already knew that because he picked everything up with his left. He hated food, especially fruit. He NEVER put things in his mouth, not even his fingers or a pacifier. I never worried about him finding something and swallowing it.

He was a silly kid. Always goofing off. I taught him Han shot first and all about Darth Vader. In school he had a difficult time making friends. He was in his own little world. And he had ticks. He'd lick his fingers and touch it to things. And he'd put his ears to cool things. He hated loud noises and he still distrusted food.

The kid drew all the time. He was drawing constantly.

By the time he was in third grade, I was worried because kids teased him. He didn't have friends. He was off in his own world. One day his teacher approached me and told me she wanted to get him evaluated for Asperger's. I didn't know what that was but when the counselors sat down with me, everything clicked into place. He matched every bullet point. And finally, I understood so much of what made him tick. After that, I devoted myself to learning about his own uniqueness.

….about how I could help him.
….about how to think like him.

He told me he wanted to be a game designer in third grade. He loves stories, and characters, and he loves the horror genre. I tell him all the time he can do anything, draw anything, create anything he sets his mind to. I never want to limit his imagination or creativity. He can be, he can do, anything he wants in life.

You know why I brag about him? (beyond the fact that he's my son) ...It's because he's the kindest person I know. He cries for days over a bird that died. He gets upset when a bug is squashed. He hates racism, sexism, and religious intolerance. I've taught him love is love, no matter if it's between two men or two women. I admire his innocence and his enthusiasm; his love and his heart. He is the best part of humanity and we should all try to be like him.