As I grew older, I would think to myself, “What if my brother was a normal kid? Why did I, of all people, have to live with an autistic sibling?” I often envied my other friends who had siblings without disabilities. I would find myself thinking about life if Aurick were “normal,” of how we would share a close sibling bond and conspire against our parents for fun. I remember one of my friends once playfully told me, “If Aurick were normal, he would attract so many girls.” As I thought about her comment more, I began to realize all the important milestones that Aurick would never be able to achieve, such as landing his first job or having his first real relationship. ----Now I glance over at my brother, who is thoroughly engrossed in his new copy of “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom,” his favorite novel of all time, eating popcorn and clapping his hands with glee. He pauses, traces his fingers along the edges of the book with great detail and starts singing the alphabet song. Then he stops. He looks up at me with that innocent, goofy smile of his - a smile so genuinely happy that I can’t help but smile back.
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