As good as growing out of autism sounds to many, it’s actually something that will remain with us (those affected) until the day we take our last breaths. Notice how I did not say unfortunately? It’s because autism is not the unfortunate thing here. It’s society’s point of view on autism that’s unfortunate 😞
Anyway….🙂🙃🙂🙃
Despite autism’s limitations, it’s possible for autistic individuals to beat the odds and live independent lives. There are even some who are married and have children of their own 🙂 Others are single and living on their own, like myself. More and more are going to college and graduating.
Meanwhile, autism remains within us and around us.
Can autistic people reach independence? Yes. Can we accomplish our goals? Absolutely 🙃 However, we must never give the false notion that autism can be grown out of. There are parents who will discover that their children are on the autism spectrum. They must know that autism can only be worked around, not grown out of.
Smile 🙂 This is not a bad thing. It’s what makes us stand out from everyone else. Yes, it’s tough. But there is a God that is tougher!
The big news is this- I HAD MY FIRST LIVE INTERVIEW!
This is huge for not only my love for writing, but for getting my name out there.
It all started in a writing community called Hope Writers. I have come across a Facebook post from another Hope Writer looking for a guest to interview for their blog. As nervous as I was, I have replied that I was interested. Then lo and behold, another reply was posted by another Hope Writer. It said, ”I do bi-monthly virtual talks and have been looking for someone to discuss their experiences with autism this month.” Since I did not receive a response from the author of the post, I immediately responded to this reply. Lo and behold, she messaged me, asking me to meet up with her on Zoom to get to know more about me. I did not hesitate! We met over Zoom not too long after. Afterwards, we planned the virtual chat for April 28 of this year!
Once we’ve ended the chat, I was a combination of nervous, excited, insecure, and anxious.
Nervous because it was my first live chat.
Excited because this is a sign that my vulnerability about living with autism is worth the risk.
Insecure because I stutter when nervous, worried, or anxious.
Anxious because speaking in front of an audience is not my forte.
Yep, my emotions were all over the place, but I knew that I had to take the leap in order to overcome my stage fright. The emotions I were experiencing were being internalized. I knew that I could not make how I was feeling obvious. I did not want to give off the false notion that I did not want to go through with the chat.
The best part is that by the grace of God, I have gotten through the 30 minute interview without stuttering left and right.
So what happens now? Well, Renee (the woman who interviewed me) wants me to write a piece for her website. I agreed with no hesitation. Whenever the day comes, I will be ready. It will be my first time writing for someone else, but it’s something I feel in my heart I must do.
My prayer is that when the day comes, I will have the inspiration needed to write a piece that will bless other special needs adults and their families.
All I have to do is search for some inspiration. As hard as it will be to find it, knowing it’s out there is all that counts.
Almost forgot, the video of my interview is available on YouTube. The information is pictured below.
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