Most of my life I had no clue what I wanted to do. Everyone would ask me and I’d simply respond with “I don’t know yet”. I’d get told life goes by really fast and I needed to think about it. When I was little, I always imagined having a sibling. Someone to look after, annoy me, make jokes with. I was 9 years old when my father told me I was going to have a little brother. I could still remember the excitement I felt through my body at that very moment. November 5th, 2018, my brother Carter was born. I waited so long for this moment and it was finally here. As Carter grew up, I adored everything about him. There wasn't one moment I didn't love spending with him. Time passed by and I started to realize things were different. Carter wouldn’t babble, respond to me when speaking to him, turn his head when I called his name. I wondered why he wouldn’t do things other kids would. Eventually, he was diagnosed with non-verbal autism. At that moment, I finally understood why. From that moment on, Carter has taught me more than ever about the importance of communication, patience, and understanding. Dealing with a child with autism is a lot to handle. It isn't always easy. I see my father deal with it all the time. He has an unmatched level of patience that I admire. He always keeps Carter in a routine and tries to build healthy habits. This is something a child like Carter needs in their life. Spending time with Carter helped me be able to recognize a lot of his behavior. Sometimes he sways, or will calmly look outside the window while we are in the car. Other times he blurts out noises and screams. The worst is when I see him struggle. Trying to tell people what he needed, what he wanted to do, or even what he wanted to eat. Not understanding why he was crying and trying to figure out how to help him made me wonder what goes on in his head. These experiences sparked a deep curiosity in me about how children like him communicate and how I could help them express themselves more effectively. I realized that I wanted to understand the mind and help others find their voice was something I wanted to pursue as a career. I didn't just want to help Carter, I wanted to help kids like him. In college, I plan to major in psychology with a concentration in developmental and child psychology. I want to deepen my understanding of their mind and help kids have a smoother and better life. I am open to expanding my options as long as I am helping children. Having Carter in my life is beautiful and has allowed me to grow on so many levels. Everytime I see him it is a reminder of what my goals are and the unconditional love I have for my brother Carter.