Hi everyone. I am going to start a new series of blog posts about what my life is like as a young man living with autism. Understand that what I say is just my experience and may be very different than how others affected by this disorder might feel.  But I imagine that I will have many common points of view with others who are experiencing life through this lens, and I would love it if others with autism would respond with comments so that I can appreciate how you have chosen to navigate your challenges.    Today, I want to talk about the popular autism symbol, the blue or…

Hi everyone, As the new year approaches, I have spent some time thinking about the year that is ending and what I want for 2023.  I am a goal-oriented person because it gives my mind something to focus on.  Without a target, it is too easy for me to feel like I am stagnating and then I get depressed.   2022 was a good year but not a great one.  I accomplished my biggest goal, which was to finish my first novel, called I Never Get Lost in the Woods.   It will be published and available very soon.  The protagonist of the story, Sandra, is a young adult like me who…

Hi everyone.  Today is my mom’s birthday and I want to celebrate her publicly in a way that I know she won’t be happy with.  Sorry, Mom, but I want the world to know what you mean to me.  I can’t imagine what it is like to find out as a young mother that your child is going to have a lifelong disability. I’m sure that my mom’s first reaction and desire was for God to give it to her instead.  But, that wasn’t His plan.   Her second reaction, I know, was to fix it, to find the cure.   She dove into that effort head first and full-time.   The hours…

Originally published April 4, 2020, on Jepsonfiles.com Hi again, everybody. April is Autism Awareness Month. It is such an unusual and challenging time for everybody during the Coronavirus pandemic. But for people with autism, there are some unique difficulties. Here is my top ten things to do to help.

Originally published February 16, 2020, on Jepsonfiles.com In my mind, there are always competing interests. Like yesterday, my mind wanted to go to a movie. But I am also training for a marathon and needed to do a training run. I couldn’t convince myself that running would be better. This led to me getting internally frustrated which developed into external agitation and a mini-tantrum. My dad and mom calmed me down but then made me type out why I was mad. All I could get out was that I didn’t want to go to the gym. I wanted to go to a movie. My dad said that he was originally…

Originally published November 16, 2019, on Jepsonfiles.com I’m so excited to announce my new YouTube channel called Inside Autism with Aaron Jepson. I wanted to help people understand what it is like to have autism and hopefully by doing so, people affected by the disorder will have it a little easier. Please subscribe and tell your friends. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDcKC6dfS8JluUgALpIX3Wg

Originally published April 16, 2019, on Jepsonfiles.com April is Autism Awareness Month and once again, like wildflowers in Texas, you start seeing blue puzzle pieces adorning lapels and Facebook posts sharing news reports giving statistics and asking for money for autism-related non-profits. When April turns to May, the news cycles move on to something else and the coaches put on a different pin and everyone goes back to their routine and give little thought to autism. Unfortunately, I don’t have that luxury. Autism for me is a life sentence. Many people know someone with autism–probably most people, in fact. I would bet that they have wondered how they can help…