Oftentimes, I think of living the life I am currently living forever in a day without realizing that those that are here to support me are not going to be around forever. While it is common for autistic people to have lives of their own, there is also a necessity to understand that there needs to also be a connection to others as a way of being a mutual support to myself.

I have a very small circle of support. The reality of that is that they are aging and there will be a time when they are not going to be around for me as life continues. It can be hard to imagine what life would look like if those people would not be in my life. Who would I reach out to for support or caring thoughts? How would I be able to do the things that I rely on them to help me with?  

It can be hard to imagine this, but this is a hard reality not only for autistic people, but those that care for them. It is something that can be hard to feel and realize but it is the truth. People cannot do things that they can do forever. I must continue to work harder at establishing better ways of being able to support myself if support is no longer here. It means that I will have to do things differently or step out of my comfort zone, but someday it will become a reality and will have to be done.

This is not meant to be perceived in a negative way, but it is a reality that those caring for autistic people often face. There is constant worry that those they have cared for for many decades will be able to survive on their own. Yes, siblings could play in the mix, but that is no burden that no parent wants to leave with someone because it is not something that is to be expected of them.

Nonetheless, it takes the autistic adult as they can be willing to push themselves to be able to strive to as much independence as they can so there can be as much comfort as possible for their loved ones when they are no longer to see that their needs are meant. It is also necessary for autistic people to develop natural connections with others so they do not feel totally left out of this world as those that they have been accustomed to could no longer be here.

It can be a lonely world if one lets themselves act in such a manner. Autistic people are often loners and thrive well in that way. Friendship sound scary and in fact to me it is, but there comes a point to where it becomes necessary to break down barriers and step outside of my comfort zone and do what is necessary to build better connections so they are able to life as fully as possible without causing regression or other behaviors that may not want to be warranted.

It is important to withstand the reality that these things are going to happen in one’s life. No one is expected to live forever in a day and there is a reality of constant change, there must be a willingness to accept and realize a need to learn and grow from what we think is comfortable.