Autistic Me - My post for the This is Autism Flash Blog.

Instead of focusing on the bad parts of being Autistic, the struggles, etc., I will instead illustrate ways in which being Autistic is good.  I will not discuss the bad parts just now, I will leave that to the Evil Empire (a.k.a. Autism Speaks) they help them to raise funds, wouldn't want to deprive them of any chance to exploit us, and is that not what it is really about?!, it is certainly not about actually listening to or helping Autistics.  Am not saying my life is always a "walk in the park", although I am generally a happy and smiling soul, I do have my days of down in the dumps, despairing of change and the future. 

Being an adult and still getting so excited about Christmas that the WHOLE month of December is exciting too, whenever I see Christmas decorations my face breaks into a smile and I get bouncy and start to flap.  Having to fight myself throughout the year to not hum or sing Christmas carols until Advent starts.  Sometimes the fight is fought many times; verbalized warnings are even given to self.  Everyone who knows me or who is yet to meet me knows that Christmas is my favorite time of year.

Did I mention Snoopy!!?  He is my favorite Peanuts character!  :)

Getting bouncy, smiling, and flapping when the first flakes of snow begin to fall.  Telling everyone I know that it is snowing!!  Entranced while watching snow fall, standing at the window for ages just watching it drift down to the ground.  Taking walks in the snow and looking straight upwards and watching the flakes twirl down.  Driving in the car and watching as the snow surrounds the car, needless to say my driving in snow is never good, I tend to get entranced with the flakes. 

Getting excited and counting down the days until my birthday every year. 

Plopping down in the aisle of a bookstore or library, pulling books off the shelves and delving right in, soaking up knowledge while rocking quickly back and forth, blissfully quiet.

Ponce De Leon searched for the Fountain of Youth, we Autistics have the best of both worlds, one minute we can be serious and the next we can be joyously lost in a favorite pastime, such as blowing bubbles.  The simplest things can entertain us, this is not to say that we are simple or simple-minded, many of us are more than capable of intense and deep thought, whether we be verbal or nonverbal. 

 

 

Just give us the chance to be ourselves. 

 

This IS Autism.  :)