What It Is Like To Be Autistic (For those of you who aren't) 

This blog post is by Sam Barron who says, “This was the first poem that I wrote for my first year of high school. It was an assigned poem that I quickly wrote up two periods before it was due. Got a standing ovation. Enjoy!”

It's not having a social ability, 
not being able to have a normal conversation. 
It's your parents, afraid of telling you this 
because they don't know what to do. 
It's getting a simple hit in the brain 
causing you to lose your ability to speak well.

You get an easy question incorrect at school, 
then having your classmates see a whiny baby cry into the hall. 
It's too much information in your brain; 
A computer about to crash by an overflow of memory. 
It's you needing therapy 
so you can function your brain and body better.

You create magnificent pictures and ideas 
using that large imagination of yours. 
It's paying attention and following the rules at school 
so you can get good grades at school and in life. 
You want to succeed 
so you work hard and try your best.

You mother is running for you 
so you cheer her on so she can do well. 
It's you wanting to tell the world about you 
telling them what you are now than what you were before. 
When I was young, I was afraid of the world. 
When I was sprinting towards the finish of that long race, 
I felt as if the world was cheering for me.

Sam’s mom, Christina Meadowcroft ran the 2010 Bank of America Chicago Marathon with Team Up! for Autism Speaks. She successfully trained for the 26.2 mile race, and raised more than $3,400! And, all in honor of her teenaged son, Sam, who joined her at mile 23 to finish the race (see photo). Sam has since gone on to become a key member of his school’s cross country team, shattering his personal bests time after time.