My perspectives on kindness

Most people that I have met are inherently kind. People that would not even hurt a fly intentionally. People that always make me feel welcomed and loved. People that go out of their way to make me feel safe. People that make me laugh and are there to comfort me when I cry.

However, I have always felt the need to be valued for who I am. I have always felt the need to be part of conversations and not just the subject of. I have always felt the need to be an organic part of a group not someone the group goes out of the way to accommodate. I have always felt that I needed someone to be there with me and not for me.

That is where kindness has fallen short in my life. I have always felt like a receiver and not as a participant. I have always felt like someone is doing me a favor by being kind to me and that they see no reciprocal value. I have always felt that I am just an outlier in their lives.

I am not asking the kind people to be more kind. Nor am I ungrateful for their kindness that makes me and the world better. I am just asking everyone that is kind to reflect on how your kindness makes the other person feel. And can that change to make both parties feel the best they can. This will be one of my goals with this kind force – to make kindness equal.

Swarit Gopalan

About the Author

I am an 11-yr old autistic, nonspeaker that uses letterboard to spell/keyboard to type to communicate.I live with my family in Florida and go to Invictus Academy for school.

I find a lot of solace in expressing myself through poetry. Music and nature also help me stay in the present, there is nothing better for me than to have my movement create a symphony with nature and to truly enjoy the sights and sounds. Living in harmony with nature is my life’s mission.

Right from the time of diagnosis, we are only told about all things we cannot or will not be able to do. Along with the check that is written to the doctor for the diagnosis, it often feels like our agency is written off too, especially without a reliable communication mechanism.

Time to change the paradigm with more non speaker voices. It has always been a dream to share my thoughts and perspectives with the world so that I can be one of the catalysts to creating a better understanding of non speakers in general.

My hope is that my words will help change the world from sympathy and pity for those like me to one of deeper understanding of our lives and allyship to ensure our rights.

My perspectives on kindness