Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Autism is Pervasive/One of Many Parts to a Whole

A good friend reminded me of the importance of not letting autism define me, but rather to not lose sight of everything that makes me who I am. After much contemplation, I've come to a conclusion on how I feel about this.

I am more than autism, BUT....it is a pervasive aspect of who I am which defines me in many ways. On the other hand, it is one of many parts to a whole. Not only am I autistic, but I am also an animal lover, friend, sister, daughter, Sonic fanatic, geek...the list goes on.

The thing is, autism greatly shapes me into who I am. It's because I'm autistic that I am ME. It is the reason I have no shame in my game. It's why I am content with who I am regardless of what everyone else is doing. It makes me unique, complete with my own operating system. Perhaps it's why I love video games so much and could care less about things like my appearance.

I'm the same person I was before receiving a diagnosis. I've always been everything that makes me up, including autistic. I'm just now aware of this. I've gotten answers to why I've always been a little "different," and quite frankly, I'm proud of who I am!

Sunday, June 8, 2014

Learning more and more every day

As I look back on the last two and a half months since my diagnosis, I realize I'm learning more and more about myself. I think the most significant thing is that my parents seem to have a better understanding of me.

For one, my dad always used to seem to be in a rush for me to grow up. I tried to convince him for years that the things my peers were interested in and doing did not come naturally to me; I was still at a developmentally younger age. After these years of stating and restating my point, and finally getting an Asperger's diagnosis, he seems to get that this is the way I am, and that it's ok! I most likely will never be interested in things typical of my peers. I've acted young for my age as long as I can remember.

My parents have more patience with me. They now realize that I don't forget to put things away on purpose. I don't intentionally misunderstand their directions. They know that my brain processes information differently. I'm thankful that they've allowed me to educate them on autism and what it means, and that they're willing to learn!