'How can I love him?'
She asks me--
Not for the first time.

Like I'm the patron saint of
Unlovable children,
Having embraced my place
as the central fulcrum
of Autism Wonderland.

She shows me a picture
and my heart swells and breaks
for the that little boy
Lost in his own little world.
His birthday bliss,
As, slowly reaching for milestones,
He doesn't know he's missed
reaching
The hearts of family
Who are supposed to love
Unconditionally.

'You know I'm not like that,'
She tells me,
Asking not to judge,
To accept her wholly,
The way she can't
Accept him.