Katelyn Bosworth

ENGL1213

Due Date 2-6-19

Be A Difference Maker

Everyone is different in their own way, this doesn’t make anyone better than others just

make us unique. Some people have diagnosed symptoms that a doctor as done testing to figure

out why we are how we act. One of these diagnoses is Asperger’s Autism. I have seen firsthand

how someone with Asperger have difficult time and need support in daily life interactions. I

believe that I and others can make a positive difference in someone’s life that Asperger’s if we

are willing. I believe there are three main ways we can do this, and they are by understanding

Asperger’s, helping them in social settings, being there for them as friends.

First by understanding Asperger’s you will have to research on the subject. When you do

you will know that most people with it have different triggers that enhance different behaviors.

This is where you will have to get to know the person and find out what their triggers are. Once

you do that you will be able to try to avoid bringing these up or when they occur then you can

help them get through it. When you learn and understand Asperger’s you will see that you need

to be able to listen to the person to see their point of view on things. This is very helpful even if

you don’t agree with them, take time to listen and see where they are coming from and this will

help you see more on how they are thinking. With that you will have to be calm with them and

not get upset with them even though it will happen you will just learn that to help them you have

to stay calm and understanding.

 Second by helping them in social settings. This is a big challenge for people with

Asperger’s and something they struggle with on a daily basic. Take them with you to social

settings and this will help them with their interpersonal communication. They will struggle but

you can be there to help them to help know what to say and to when to say it. They lack in the

understanding social rules. Even the ones that you think most know to keep to their selves, the

don’t think about it and normally just say it without thinking. One example is one time my

brother was with me talking to a church member that we had not seen in a while, this lady had a

beard, it was an older lady and I think she just couldn’t see the hair well. Well my brother just

looks at her and says, “You know you are starting to get a beard?” I wanted to run away and hid

under a pew! The lady just kept talking but the next church service she didn’t have one.

Anyways I had to explain that we don’t just say things like that to people we aren’t close with

because we could really upset people.

Lastly by being a friend for them. People with Asperger’s have difficult time having

emotional connection with people, so they have hard time having friends, but this also brings in

depression. We can have a positive difference in their lives by just being there for them as a

friend. Good friends are proactive friendliness that means positive interaction with those you

meet. (Brotherton, Marcus) They are very smart when it comes to learning and figure things out,

but they have trouble relating to people and showing their emotions or seeing other emotions.

We can be there for them as emotion support and try to help them work out their emotions. A big

thing is just letting them know you are not alone, and I care about you. I have notice that if I’m

just there and listen to my brother he feels more loved then if I just don’t listen or care what he is

telling me. It could be something that doesn’t matter but it really matters to him so me showing
that I care what he is telling me, I can tell that it helps him not feel so alone and some of his daily

life.

As you can see, people with Asperger’s deal with somethings on a daily basic and I

believe that if we can educate ourselves more on this disability, we can be a positive difference

in their lives and be able to help and encourage theses people in their lives. “The majority of

issues that our community is facing would be eliminated or drastically reduced if we could just

figure out a way to become a community of great neighbors.” (Brotherton, Marcus) Are you

brave enough to be the difference maker in someone’s life by understanding Asperger’s, helping

them in social settings, being there for them as friends?

Work Cited Page

Brotherton, Marcus “On Being Neighborly” www.artofmanliness.com/articles/on-being-

neighborly/ May 23, 2013