The Life that Built Me

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If you are like me, you often wonder how in the world you got to the place that you are at in your life. Seriously, it seemed just like yesterday that I had no worries in the world but now I have many. Autism wasn’t a part of my life before I had my sons but now it is a huge part of my life. I have come to realize that it has been the best thing to ever happen to me.

Now don’t get me wrong, I would love to not have the worries about what will happen to my children when I am gone. I would love to not ever have to worry about whether Trenton will talk or not. My daily list of worries are enough to send most people over the edge. However, when I think about all that autism has done for me and my sons, I can’t help but think that it has been the one that thing that has built me. It has made me the person that I am today.

The strength and courage that it has forced me to do daily is phenomenal.

Autism doesn’t allow you to give yourself a choice. It forces you to do the unimaginable. It builds you up to be even stronger that you ever thought was possible. It forces you to walk the daily journey with the most courageous spirit of anyone. Autism has the power of turning a family upside down but it is how that family responds to their new, unexpected journey that will determine who they are in life.

I never thought I could be so strong but I am. My strength grows daily through our challenges that we face.  I am beyond blessed to say that autism has built my strength  and courage to be the best that it has ever been and ever will be.

Autism is known to bring many challenges to not just your child but your whole family. In fact, it completely changes the life that you had and that you thought was possible. Autism will build you a completely different life and it is can be amazing if you allow it to be.

Some families are not as affected as others. We all know that it is a spectrum and some have more challenges each day. However, in one way or the other, autism builds you. It builds your loved one that it has affected and it builds your whole entire family and character.

In the beginning of my journey it was hard for me to see that. I spent many days crying and simply just trying to survive in a whole new world that was beyond challenging. Nonetheless, I realized that autism wasn’t going away. It was part of my children and part of me. With that said,  I wanted to make the most of it. I decided to let autism build me up to be the best person possible and to make the best life that I could for my boys.

I know your journey isn’t easy. Mine is not either. However, lets chose to let our new life build us up to be the best that we can be.

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Angela and her family reside in Terre Haute, Indiana, where they moved to get more help for her son with severe autism. She was born and raised in a small town in southern Illinois where her love for animals and helping others blossomed.

She enjoys sharing the honest and real side of autism through her writing. Her writing may not apply to every family with a child with autism, but it is sure to apply to the families raising children on the severe end of the spectrum.

To read more of Angela’s journey please visit her website or like her Facebook page.

Angela Conrad

Founder at Two Brothers One Journey
Angela Conrad is a freelance writer, mom to two boys on the autism spectrum, determined autism advocate, and fun-loving person. When she is not doing her advocacy work, she can be found managing her son’s therapy schedules and all the other crazy things that life brings. She enjoys reading, exercising and helping others.

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