Celebrate World Autism Awareness Day!

That’s right – celebrate it! Yes, there are challenges. Yes, the more impaired the person, the more the need for services. And, yes, I fully understand wanting the ability to verbally communicate and take care of oneself.

But…

There ARE things to celebrate about someone you love who has autism.

Ask some with Asperger’s, if they had the chance, would they become neurotypical? Some might say “yes”. My daughter would say “no”.

I know, because we’ve talked about it, and she doesn’t think she’s the one in need of changing.

Today, my family celebrates autism. Having a child on the spectrum is making us better people. It is forcing us to see the world through another lens. For most with autism, it’s a blue lens, while for is, it’s pink.

I could go on – and I have. But you already know that.

We often spend too much time talking about what’s “wrong”, what needs “fixing” and what needs to be “modified”. It can really suck the energy out of us  to think like a repair person, with the individual getting lost in the middle of it all, right?

So, let’s celebrate our kids, ourselves, even. What do you love about the special person in your life who has autism? Do you have an Autism Spectrum Disorder? What is it you like about being on the spectrum?

For my daughter, it’s complex. Oft time, she’s living in a world where others chose to need more social skills that she does (ironic, isn’t it?), but knowing that no matter how hard it can be at times, she is who she is supposed to be.  A person with Asperger’s. A person who deserves to be loved, understood and a friend.

Are you wearing blue today? We are. And we’ll probably stick a bow in Mr. FrouFrou’s topknot, too.