By engaging in random acts of kindness, this man brightens the days of everyone he comes into contact with.

His hair was shaggy, brown, but mostly gray. The long coat he wore had been nice, once. But not anymore. It had surrendered to its owner’s reality; unkempt, tired, and raggedy on the edges. He showed up at the back door of “Harold’s Place-Downtown” late one fall morning.

This mom’s heartfelt words provide a window into the world of autism. Her raw honesty reflects the challenges faced by parents navigating the good and bad days of life with autism. I hope it inspires you to have a bit more compassion next time you see a family in your community who’s facing challenges you may not understand.

Muharrem is a deaf man living in Instabul who received a huge, heartwarming surprise when his whole neighborhood learned sign language to communicate with him.