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.
Follow Ariane Zurcher on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Arianezurcher
I also have sensory difficulties. I hate being in an enclosed room with lots of people because the noise bounces off the walls and the floor, but I can go to an event like Cinco de Mayo in downtown Denver and not mind it at all because of the Doppler effect taking over and spreading the noise around. Also, I can spot a cat, a foreign flag or language, or map anywhere. A good example is I was talking on the phone with a friend of mine, and I was watching TV (mute button on) and I saw the outline of the map of Antarctica. A lot of us on the spectrum notice things that others don't notice.
Again, Bravo for the good article and positive thinking about people like us.
What you say here is just "Pure Awesomeness!
"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."
Thank you!
Angel
When I was in my 20's I was suicidal. This is not something I talk much about. I wanted very much to die. I thought about killing myself a great deal.
I also had to shorten my reply as they have a limit on words, so my original post from yesterday was shortened to fit their requirement. I will have to post this reply in several segments so I hope they post it in order so others don't misunderstand me here too. Sometimes less is better, at least when it comes to me and my talking. I tend to talk too much, which is a female Aspergers trait. That combined with not fully comprehending social situations, or reading people right, can make for very awkward and upsetting situations. I am a very sensitive person. I don't always show it, but I do feel it. I am luck to have found a NT husband and we have two boys. One has been diagnosed as pdd/nos(but was severe when he was younger. He is now 11. My other has yet to get a diagnosis, but he is a little mini-me, so I dread for his future. It is different being the Mom with Aspergers as there isn't a lot out there when you "google" it. It is mostly about Dads with Aspegers from the NT moms perspective, but I find it all does help. (Cont. on next post....)
I have "googled" quiet a few phrases, as that is where I go to find anything when I need an answer. In the past month, I have "googled": "alone", "lost", "seeing the world as it goes on, from behind glass"," alone in a crowd", support services for adults in my city(to which I really found none for those concidered "too high or too old" on the autism spectrum. ) I think I fit the "too old" as I am now 37. "What is life like without Aspegers", "I wish I didn't have Aspegers", "puzzle piece that doesn't fit" , etc. Also look up pics to explain how I feel and I use them on FB to explain to others how I feel since many times, my words just don't seem to do. I also have great artistic ability and had gone to an Art college on a partial scholarship back when I was right out of college. Back then, I was not diagnosed and had no idea as to what I needed and I got very depressed. Aspergers was only recognized in the U.S since 1994 and I graduated from high school in 1993. Once an adult, they don't even look at you for a possiblitiy for an autism spectrum disorder. Many seem to think it disappears after 21. It doesn't.
I was able to slowly stop trying to please all those other people that I felt condemned me, saw me as a failure, as a "bad" person. And now, (I'm in my 50's) my life is better than I ever could have imagined. I have a wonderful husband who knows me and loves me exactly as I am, who loves me even when I'm angry and feel grumpy. I have two beautiful, amazing and unique children, one who is considered neurotypical and one who is autistic. And I am now a very, very happy human being. But thirty years ago, I was not. You are beautiful, Genisa. Let those of us who have trudged along similar or different paths love you until you can love yourself. (Someone said that to me early on in my recovery from bulimia - I had no idea what they were talking about and didn't believe them.) Reach out as you have, again and again, find those who you feel comfortable talking to, develop a relationship with them. You are not alone, Genisa. You are so not alone. And you ARE beautiful. Please reach out to me anytime. You can find me on my blog - www.emmashopebook.com. Or you can email me: emmashopeblog@gmail.com
(This is the second time I've replied... Not sure where the first comment went? Lurking in cyber limbo, no doubt!)
Thank you for participating in our Flash Blog event and for helping us to promote it! I think we have not seen the last of these Autism Positivity efforts, and it is so exciting to see how we have been able to flood google with support and understanding.
Be the change!!
Leah Kelley
http://30daysofautism.wordpress.com/2012/04/29/0-days-of-autism-to-iwishididnthaveaspergers-a-letter-to-my-son-autismpositivity2012/
Sincerely,
Carrie Cooling - a mom with Asperger's syndrome
Owner - Parenting with Asperger's Syndrome on Facebook
http://parentingwithaspergers.blogspot.com/