ANANYA MAHAPATRA, IX_G

They point at him and giggle as they stare,

Until it becomes far too much for him to bear.

They laugh and they tease and they call him insane,

Without realizing the extent of his pain.

He’s also a human, with thoughts like us,

Although he may sometimes shout and fuss.

He may not always understand how we feel,

But he has a different side to him – yet unrevealed.

So what if his brain is a little bit different?

So what if it sometimes doesn’t comprehend the messages it is being sent?

It is still a brain, quite similar to ours,

With similar functions and similar powers.

He might have problems with communication,

And do odd things for recreation.

He might not like if someone goes near him,

He might have troubles expressing his feelings.

He might not be able to make many friends,

But that is the very thing we need to try to mend.

He might appear passive or without emotion,

But I promise he can still be a lot of fun.

He may seem odd or a tiny bit strange,

But the truth is that he isn’t at all deranged.

When you really look at it, he isn’t all that different,

He’s normal in his own way, is what I meant.

He eats, he sleeps, he wakes up at dawn,

He plays, he studies, and when he’s tired, he yawns.

Even though he’s not your definition of ‘cool’,

Nobody said bullying him was a rule.

If you look past his differences and accept him for him,

He’ll adore you for you, and maybe even sing.

If you’re willing to try to accept the person he is,

You’ll end up becoming a wonderful friend of his.

If you let him be just the way he is,

And still not feel awkward or pissed,

You’ll realize that just because you did so,

You found out he’s one of the best people you know.

Help him live along with his autism, not in spite of it,

Help him gain knowledge and sarcastic wit.

Treat him like normal and not a special case,

Treat him like a friend, and you’ll be amazed.

It doesn’t matter if he shows his feelings or conceals them,

If he’s comfortable in social situations or doesn’t want to have many friends.

What matters is that we understand who he really is,

Beneath the layers of nervousness and discomfort of his.

We need to accept him as one of us,

Not as anything even remotely less.

Let’s tell him our jokes and make him our friend,

And allow him to leave when he wants something to end.

Let’s understand his unease and why he feels bad,

Let’s make him happy when he’s feeling sad.

Let’s give him his space when he asks for some,

Let’s also let him know that with us, he has a home.

Don’t force him for anything, don’t give subtle hints,

Just let him love you and let yourself love him.

After all, if you simply spend some time to understand,

You will definitely be very, very, very glad.

He’s a lot like us, you see

Not quite that different from you and me.

He’s a good friend and talented too,

Not quite that different from me and you.