Comments on: The Gift of Being Autistic

By: Rachel

Rachel — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 18:27:54 +0000

I agree with you wholeheartedly!

By: Angie

Angie — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 00:57:16 +0000

THANK YOU!!! My son is 10 and is autistic. I am SO SICK of people thinking he needs to be “cured”. There isn’t a damn thing wrong with him. he is perfect just the way he is. Why is it we spend so much time telling our kids that each of them are unique and special in their own way but when they aren’t “normal” then there is something “wrong”?

By: Soph

Soph — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 11:30:46 +0000

It’s hard to do this I know, but the term “neurotypical” needs to be thrown out. In the autism/neurotypical dichotomy Rachel’s art tutor falls on the other side of the divide.

By: Holly (fearless folks)

Holly (fearless folks) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:44:29 +0000

I’m so glad that you’ve found your way. I hope one day my kids find happiness and inner-peace within themselves as well. Thanks for sharing, as always. I’m learning a great deal from you.

By: misfit

misfit — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:17:50 +0000

Another great post! I love those rambling conversations, have had many with my mom (who I suspect may be on the spectrum or at least have some AS-like tendencies). Looks like you are making progress with the signing too.
I also welcome the idea of not being fundamentally broken. Learning about AS was pretty liberating. But the problem now is all the scars from all the slings and arrows that have been thrown my way for the past 40 years. My family doc doesn’t think I could have AS but she finally gave me a name for the species of depression I have had for decades. Some small form of validation at last. Now I;d like to get rid of it, please!

By: LizzieK8

LizzieK8 — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 13:11:32 +0000

Yeah for you, girlfriend! I have a couple new friends that are both on the spectrum. We do very well together and “get each other”. It’s such a blessing to have friends to relax with.

The knowledge that you aren’t broken and don’t need to be fixed is liberating. Enjoy life now and do the things that bring joy.

By: Ben

Ben — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 01:39:25 +0000

it was a long time into my life before i realized that most people did not leave a party feeling the way i feel (and our esteemed author). thanks, as always, for putting things into words for me.

one of my consuming processes currently, is examining how so many years of trying to think like regular people has distorted my own precious brain. i really like my brain, but saddened to realize how far from myself i’ve gotten, and how much stress, anxiety and depression result.

By: Taylor Selseth

Taylor Selseth — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:38:46 +0000

Wonderful post. You descriptions of your thought processes fit mine very well, I also enage the world intuitively, associatively, visually, and empathically! Carl Jung’s description of what he called “Introverted Intuition” fits both of us perfectly, IMO.

By: John Dale Lyons

John Dale Lyons — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 21:10:05 +0000

I too think associatively as well as analytically. I can relate to the rambling conversation you and your friend had. I can occasionally have such conversations with NT’s I am close to. I agree that the way we see the world is an unrecognized gift. At the same time, I have nothing good to say about anxiety and depression which many of us, including me, have along with Autism. I would gladly get rid of those. And some people who are severely autistic can be quite impaired, unlike us on the other end of the spectrum.

In a just world, you would be a shaman or high priestess, dispensing your own kind of wisdom to the awe-struck NT masses.