Precisely John: A Journey of Autism, Love, Laughter, and Faith

A Norman Rockwell painting it wasn't. But we wanted it to be. No one called it autism, much less Asperger's back in the sixties when we were growing up. They called it weird, odd, different. We were a tight knit family in our little town, where my parents were teachers at the local school. At times it seemed a childhood filled with conflict about my older brother John. He was quiet and sweet. Yet, at times he would also make strange noises, shake his hands and fingers, while being completely consumed in his own thoughts. My confusion grew in trying to make sense of his differences, the over protectiveness of my parents, the teasing and bullying of him at school. Loved him, sometimes hated him, and really didn't want to be like him. Felt guilty about all of it. The years following school rolled on, until both family and personal crisis brought me back home. I quickly became aware that there was a significant distance between John and me. This is where our real journey began. Step by step, as I tried working my way back into his life, my perception of him began to change. Yet, I couldn't have imagined that he would one day become my hero and a teacher I could only hope to emulate.

Author: Catherine Miller
Publisher: Phenix Books
Published: 07/28/2016
Pages: 188
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.57lbs
Size: 9.02h x 5.98w x 0.40d
ISBN: 9780984894215

About the Author
Having John as my brother created in me a tendency to fight for the underdog. That fueled my decision to earn Bachelor's degrees in Sociology and Psychology, graduating with an accreditation in Social Work from Iowa State University in 1980. I've spent my career dedicated to de-institutionalization and developing community-based services for people with mental health disabilities. I have the unique perspective of having lived the experience of growing up with a person with a disability, and of being a professional serving people with disabilities and their families.

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