You are beautiful.
It doesn't matter that we've never met. It doesn't matter that you do not know who I am.
You are beautiful.
You are beautiful exactly as you are, at this moment, no matter how sad, how angry, how confused or lonely you may feel, you are beautiful. We live in a world and in a society with fears that which it does not understand. The majority of those people are different from you. That does not make you wrong or bad or any other derogatory word you may have heard directed at you. It simply means you are different.
You are beautiful.
There are others, others who are similar to you who also inhabit this world. My daughter, Emma, is one of them. Emma is 10. Emma does not know what Google is or if she does, she cannot communicate that she does. She, like you, is wired differently. Emma is autistic. She has many challenges. There are things that are much, much harder for her to do, like reading and writing and speaking. Emma has lots of sensory issues that cause her tremendous discomfort and even pain, but there are other things that are easy for her. It is easy for Emma to be honest. It is easy for Emma to live in the present. Emma is without guile, and she does not bully or condemn, judge or gossip. She is without inhibitions. Emma loves people and she loves music. Music speaks to her in a way that conversational language cannot. When Emma dances to her favorite songs she becomes an extension of that music. She incorporates it into her being and it brings her, and those around her, tremendous joy. Emma is a free spirit and her beauty emanates from her without censorship.
She, like you, is beautiful.
Find your place in this crazy world. Speak out, and while many may not want to listen or may even try to silence you, do not let them. Do not remain silent. Add your voice to the chorus of others who are here with you, who are like you, who also have Aspergers. Say what you feel. Tell us what it is like to be you. We need your voice. I need your voice. My daughter cannot tell me these things, so I listen to others who are like her, but who can speak and/or write their thoughts. Each one of your voices is beautiful. There are many, many people like me who want to hear from you, who want to listen to what you have to say. Do not worry if your words express your sadness, depression and pain. There are those of us who will listen to you, no matter what you may say.
You are beautiful.
If people say things to you or about you that are cruel and hurtful, do not believe them. Their words are not a reflection of you, they are a reflection of them. There are many sad, angry, troubled people in this world who hurt others because of their rage and dissatisfaction with their life. No matter how much they may want you to believe that you had something to do with their unhappiness, you did not.
You are beautiful.
Someone typed into Google "I wish I didn't have Aspergers." From that Google search they found the blog Outrunning the Storm, a blog written by a mother of an Aspergers child. A number of bloggers got together and reached out to many of us, asking that we each contribute something. All of our posts have been published on the newly created AutismPositivity Day Flash Blog. If you would like to add something please follow this link to do so.
For more on Emma, go to: Emma's Hope Book
To read Emma's profile in "The Thinking Person's Guide to Autism," click here.
For more by Ariane Zurcher, click here.
For more on autism, click here.