25. My Sweet Collector

As hard as it was to figure out how Sean's mind worked, I was fascinated by the  autistic behavior. I often watched him work. He was a very busy little boy. He was happiest when he stimmed. He'd squat, knees spread wide with his bottom nearly touching the ground and gather sand or freshly mown grass in a fast scooping motion, over and over again to collect more with each grip. He held it up, released it a little at a time and stared past it as it trickled. It was hypnotic.

He loved Q-Tips, sticks and straws. 

When his dad threw the straws into the ceiling fan to scatter them, he'd squat to collect them sometimes according to color, all with super quick speed. He had a system - a rhythm - a way to make autism look appealing.

Sean in Harlingen at age three.