Agape Freedom Sports LLC

Written by: Jeric Yurkanin

Last week, at 42 years old, I finally got answers that changed the way I understand my entire life.

Just like my 7-year-old son, I was diagnosed with Level 1 autism. My son is Level 2 on the spectrum.

And honestly?

A lot of my life suddenly made sense.

The struggles.

The misunderstandings.

The way I processed things.

The way people treated me.

The way I often felt different, even when I could not fully explain why.

As a kid, as a teenager, and even as an adult, there were so many moments when I was misunderstood, judged, talked about, bullied, or treated like I was the problem.

By coworkers.

By supervisors.

By people in school systems.

Even by family at times.

And that kind of stuff stays with you.

But now I understand more.

Now I see things clearer.

Now I know there was never something “wrong” with me.

I was simply seeing and experiencing the world differently.

And that is why this matters so much to me.

Autistic people are often some of the most misunderstood people in this world.

Too often, they are mocked instead of understood.

Judged instead of supported.

Bullied instead of protected.

Labeled instead of listened to.

And the truth is, a lot of people have no idea what someone else is carrying internally every single day.

That is why kindness matters.

That is why empathy matters.

That is why people need to stop being cruel, stop judging so fast, and stop making life harder for people who are already trying their best.

Because here is the other side people do not talk about enough:

Autistic people are often incredibly loyal.

Incredibly passionate.

Incredibly observant.

Incredibly dedicated.

They notice details others miss.

They care deeply.

They work hard.

They stay committed.

And in the right environment, they can absolutely thrive.

Some of the very things people mock are the same things that can make autistic people amazing workers, volunteers, teammates, leaders, and friends.

Some are deeply fact-driven.

Some are evidence-based thinkers.

Some question everything because they genuinely want truth, not just comfort.

Some have gifts other people will never fully understand unless they slow down and take the time to really know them.

That is why I say this:

Be kind.

Be patient.

Be understanding.

Have empathy.

And stop judging people so quickly.

You do not know what someone has lived through.

You do not know what they are carrying.

You do not know how hard they have fought just to make it through life.

This also makes my Autism Awareness Softball Game even more personal to me now.

It is no longer just something I care about from a distance.

It hits home.

It is personal.

It is part of my story.

And that gives me even more reason to work hard this August and in the years ahead to keep growing it into something meaningful.

This year, the game will be on a Saturday in August, and because Agape Freedom Sports Media is now fully softball-focused, it will feature girls softball only.

I’m excited.

I’m motivated.

And I’m more passionate about it now than ever before.

So I’ll end with this:

Be the person who understands.

Be the person who listens.

Be the person who shows grace.

Be the person who chooses kindness.

Because the world already has enough judgment.

What it needs more of is compassion.

#AutismAwareness #AutismAcceptance #ActuallyAutistic #Neurodiversity #BeKind #ChooseCompassion #AutismSupport #SoftballForACause #AgapeFreedomSportsMedia #InclusionMatters