Skip to main content

Autism Awareness Month felt different this year.

 


If I had to sum up last month, it would be about caregiving and how much it honestly scared me.

If you didn’t already know, I have a brother with Autism, he’s my world. Last month was Autism Awareness Month. While many posted about awareness or inclusion and called out those who mocked people with disabilities, I was focused on my life and how caregiving was slowly getting into the picture.

I thought about the daily commitment, the fears, and the responsibilities of loving and supporting someone with special needs. And for a long time, I found myself terrified. 

Cue the horror music.

My brother is going to be 25, and while I thank God for his life, it also makes me think about milestones, what he hasn’t done yet, what he’s doing now, and what life could be like in the next few years.

A few weeks ago, I had a conversation with my dad, and for the first time, he was vulnerable and opened up,” What happens when I die?”

As usual, as the priest in my home, I encouraged him: “We will take care of Tobi. Everything will be alright. God is still working. Glorayyy

After, I went to my room, played Kaestrings’ Rahama, and cried my eyes out. I meant to use the song to pray, but I ended up kneeling and crying for nine minutes straight with no words to say. When I finished, I wiped my tears and played “War Medley” by God in this music, dancing in my room as the spirit of joy possessed me. Then, I sat down, eating cinnamon rolls and watching Too Hot to Handle on Netflix.

Throughout April, that War medley became my go-to after praying, because it reminded me that God is in control.

Listen to this song here.

Honestly, things didn’t suddenly get better. I spent most of the month weighed down by decisions and unanswered questions.

Would Tobi ever live independently?
Should we plan for assisted living, or keep him at home?
What happens when my parents get older?
How do we plan financially?
What does this mean for my own future… even marriage?

As a recovering lover girl, I found myself scared of the aspect of marriage because I thought, “Who will understand this life?” Maybe somebody may, but at that point, I didn’t care about marriage or getting to know anyone. But I’ll leave that one to God. In my head, Tony Stark and I will always be together forever!

But despite the worries, this month showed me what it meant to be comforted by God. For years, I had been focused on men and their words of comfort, but you see the comfort from God… It was as though every time I knelt to pray, someone was sitting at the edge of my bed, watching me. It felt like I wasn’t alone, and truly, I’m not alone.

And my God, he understands! Because if I were to explain my dark thoughts to my friends, they would cook up a plan for me to go to a psychiatrist or for an emergency deliverance session. How I wish I were joking.

I want to encourage you if you’re going through something similar. God has started a good work, and he will bring it to completion; Through it all, I trust God to handle every part of my life and my brother’s life, too. Bottom line, there is nothing my worries can do. God’s creation has a Purpose, and everything is for good. Please cast your cares on him. He is not only the God who sent down fire, but the daddy who cares.

Have a wonderful May. May you have a great day. Get it? Like May, as in the month ‘May’, Dudeeee, Bovi has nothing on me. Don’t roll your eyes.

Love, Toyin, the one who is comforted by God always.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

EASTER SUNDAY- THE DAY JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD AND THE DAY I THOUGHT OF SUICIDE

I believe in the opinion that everyone has thought of suicide, and you can argue, but you know deep down, something may have happened to you to make you say, “I’m going to end it all.” But let’s talk about something that happened to me. Now, this article is not to scare you, or to make me seem easily influenced by the other voice. It is to remind you of three things. One, bottling emotions is not good.  Two, the role of caregiving for someone with a disability is not something that is your sole responsibility. Three, the devil is a bastard.  Okay, let's get into it. If you’ve been following my space, you probably know that I have a brother with Autism. As much as it is a beautiful experience, it is very scary. Whenever my brother is coming to the house from school, we ‘ Tobi-proof ’ the house, meaning that we have to hide some things, lock some things up, and it is quite a lot.  See also: Choosing Love as a neurotypical sibling Long story short. I had a meltdown on Sunda...

Special Education!

  It is a hard pill to swallow but children with developmental disorders are often not recognized in society.  Yes, I said it! Special education is a unique educational program for students who have mental, physical, and emotional challenges.  These children require special and unique teaching approaches. Sometimes, these approaches take place outside a regular classroom setting. Special-needs children refer to children who have some  sensory challenges.  Some of these challenges are common to children with Autism spectrum disorders, Down syndrome, Cerebral palsy, hearing impairments, developmental delay, intellectual disability, emotional disturbance, visual impairment, and much more. It’s unfair that children are placed in regular classrooms and are forced to learn the way neurotypical children are.  My brother once attended a school for neurotypical children.  This was a time when we weren’t sure about his diagnosis. I could tell that it was hard fo...

Choosing True Love as a sibling of special needs.

What It’s Like to Date as a Special Needs Sibling? The truth is, I worry about love. Who doesn’t? You’re choosing someone to build your life with, and what happens if you make a bad choice? It’s not just about my happiness. It’s about my future children, my stability, and, in my case, my little brother. The topic of caregiving has been on my mind since I reached a certain age, making me think more about the future; my career, my health, my responsibilities… everything. Love and relationships are a huge part of that. I’ve never doubted that I have the best friends around me…people who understand my role as a neurotypical sibling. But when it comes to love? That’s where the anxiety creeps in. Not sure if you’ve noticed, but the dating pool is a big mess. I’d describe it as “shege” before finding real love” except if you’re God’s favorite and somehow skip the drama. My situation hasn’t been smooth, and I’d like to think that God is saving me for the one. Unashamedly, I love romance, ...

Empower Voices for Autism

  Why is it very important to empower voices for Autism? There it is! Gt Bank has done it againnnn… It’s one thing when you’re doing everything you can to be aware of a neurodevelopmental disorder, it’s another to make sure others can be aware.  This is my fifth year attending the GT bank Autism conference.  Check out the past year’s post:  Creating a community to Awe-Tism Advocates And every year I go, I am so empowered and  also filled with hope. Hundreds of people attend to know more about autism, to find ways how they can help their children or students. This year’s theme focuses on inspiring confidence in individuals with autism to reach their full potential in their preferred sector, whether art or music.  I’ll start with the dance drama which was… Amazing! Mind you, I’m going to be using that term a lot. The actor in the stage play was a very talented photographer. The moral of the riveting story was that people would always try to take credit for wh...