Being different than my friends in such an obvious way was really hard for me. Some of my classmates weren’t so kind

"Stop moving your arms!” my counselor snapped. “Why are you doing that?” I looked up at her with big eyes and just didn’t know what to say. What was I supposed to say? That ever since some time in first grade my arm jerked all by itself? I knew it looked strange. Did she think I liked moving my arm like that, my elbow jumping awkwardly?

“If you don’t stop moving your arm like that, I’m going to punish you!” she continued severely. I swallowed hard, and my elbow jerked again, my arm jumping up. “That’s it!” She marched over to me and pinned both my hands down. All the other girls in my bunk stared, and I could hear some of them giggling. Tears stung my eyes. I just wanted to go home.

I never went back to that camp again.

Another memory: My classmate eyeing me, saying, “Chaya’le, if you don’t stop doing that thing with your neck, I’m not going to be your friend.” My neck jerked in response. Didn’t she realize I had absolutely no control over the movements? That they happened all by themselves? And that when I got tense or worried, they got much worse?