Now, I know for a fact that I am loved. My older sister, my mom, my little sister, and my dad have all told me they love me.
For a long time, I didn’t believe in love. I didn’t understand it, so it felt out of reach, something other people had but not me.
That changed when I came to San Quentin, where a program specialist diagnosed me with autism. With that understanding, things began to fall into place. Now, I know for a fact that I am loved. My older sister, my mom, my little sister, and my dad have all told me they love me. Knowing this brings me comfort and drives me to keep going every day.
When I come home, I know I’ll be surrounded by nothing but love. If someone like me—someone who struggled to understand love—can learn to believe in it, then anyone can.
