Being autistic, we often seek for others to understand our quirks and how we operate, but does anyone ever ask us how we embrace others with different or more complexing challenges than what we endure or how we navigate the challenges of those that we may not know how to properly accept and be willing to fully cooperate and understand.
Being already sort of known that we are already marginalized should we present ourselves in our true form as being truly who we are, quirks and all can sometimes make others want us to be associated with those that may not be to our level of ability or may never live the live the way that we want to. That never allows us to say that we as a person who has made our milestones put down another for never having the ability to do so. Just because a person will never be where you are is not a reason to treat them less than a person, because they likely have already have been shut out of so much or belittled for their challenges, the last thing is that for someone that they see as a role model to put them down or give them the cold shoulder because they may see them as a challenge.
For those of us that have ‘been there and done that’ we should always be reminded of what we had to endure to get where we are. Yes, learning a different communication level or entertaining someone who wants nothing to have your full attention can be challenging for you because you may feel uncomfortable or worry that you may do something wrong or offend the person who you know will never have the life that you do.
There is something that is being a friend and it is a hard thing to do these days. Often we put our needs as autistics before those that seek our needs. It is a constant battle for me and I continue to fight the fight in being more communicative with those that reach out to me because I know they want nothing but to have a conversation with someone and that they very likely wouldn’t extend themselves to me if they themselves don’t feel comfortable doing it or just wanted to check in on me too. I always haven’t been the one to reach out and make the advance in life that I need to and my family always worries that it will one day be too late to meet up or do something to make that person feel good.
It can be hard for me as an autistic individual to take that big step and feel comfortable making a stride. It can be more challenging if there are more complexities to the person or they have obstacles in their life that make doing things with them harder. However, I must remember what they had to go through just to get to the point of connecting with me and how they live their lives day in and day out and the more challenges they go through as they need more support than I. Sometimes it makes me remember of times I never thought I would get to the places that I have gotten to in my life and to remember that many people just want to make a social connection, even if I may not at a given moment.
I have always know the fact that it hardly ever costs anything extra to be kind to someone, no matter whatever challenges they may be facing. I can not look down on them because of what they must endure in life because they already get enough of it from the world in general. I remember that people have put themselves out there for me many of times and now is the time that I must grow up, do the right thing, pay it forward and be nice to those that have looked up to me for so long.
Dustin's Dynasty 