Despite all my struggles over my lifetime, most of my life has been pretty good. I have had a good upbringing, yet through the challenges, it can be hard to see all the things that I am grateful for. It can be hard to see the blessings of my life sometimes, but deep down I know that there are many people who are grateful for me to be in their life as much as I am for them.

I have been truly blessed in nearly four decades despite my autism and many other challenges that I have not been in more compromising situations. I owe a great deal of gratitude to my parents because they have always worked to keep me in their lives throughout all the trials and tribulations that I have been through even when I pushed them to their wit’s ends. They are still parents I can call on and they will do mostly anything for me. Additionally, they show tough love at times when it needs to be shown and I am not angry at them for that, they are parenting as they know best even as I am an adult.

It is not only them but the many other people that have stuck with me even through the toughest of times over the past few years and made me realize that something wasn’t right and that I had to at least make a move towards being where I am today. There are also those that are no longer in my life who have moved mountains to get me the things that I needed to make sure that I had the life that everyone deserves and that I was not any different in needing the same as everyone else.

There have been many times that I have been quick to see the negative in a situation before realizing that there are many things that I have in my life that are beneficial and the need to be grateful for them arises. I couldn’t imagine what a life would look life if I had not gotten my affairs back into order nor do I want to imagine because I read about or see it often online and I know that it is not as good as I have it today, so for that I know I have to be grateful for that because I know that getting to where I am wasn’t easy, but I know how important that it is to me to take care of myself to keep the things that I have.

There is things that I will have to look forward to in the future. It could be hard to see what that change looks like because there are so many unpredictable things that will be happening. I, as many autistic people are resistant to change, but I am realizing that change can also be a good thing if I allow it to be and to protect my mental health and be the best that I can be.

I continue to show gratitude for the ability to be alive in a world where so much about me can be accepted for what it is. I know that I am an intelligent person and with the right skillset, I can get to the places that I dare to dream and want to be beyond where I am right now. It is getting out of that negative mindset and working towards being positively grateful for the things I have in my life and not taking them for granted. I am truly a blessing to many.