On page 26 in the book Chicken Soup for the Preteen Soul (Published in 2000), you will find a little piece of my son’s heart. It is his perfect ending to the statement “If I could change the world for the better I would . . . “

He found the call for submissions on a website and sent his thoughts in. His quote was chosen for inclusion and he received an autographed copy of the book and a check for twenty dollars, he was on top of the world, published and rich at 9 years old.

So, on page 26, right below Justin Timberlake and a little girl named Scarlett, you will find these words describing how my son would change the world for the better . . .

“Help people realize that people like me who learn differently and do things differently than them are still really the same underneath it all. We want to be liked and smiled at.

Wilson Cook, nine

This was the same year he received his official diagnosis of Autism. I hope his wish for a better world comes true.