They say every cloud has a silver lining. We meet people who are going through this, that, or another thing. Often, we give some message of empty hope and sympathy. But, for families who are dealing with a diagnosis of autism, going through the motions of the previous scenario makes it worse. Nothing about autism is cookie-cutter or even the same for everyone, so to pretend like we know how the parents are feeling or to throw out some random treatment that worked for a cousin’s neighbor’s sister’s kid is wholly unnecessary. The best things we can give a person who has autism or a family of a child who has autism are support and compassion. Autism looks different for each person. Some days may be sunny and bright, while others will be thunderous and storming. There is not a guidebook that walks us through how to deal with autism. What we can do is celebrate the victories, big and small, that took years to achieve and encourage them through the days when giving up seems easier than riding out the storm. The road will not be easy. After storms come rainbows, and they are beautiful just like the people who have autism. We cannot have rainbows without some rain and thunder first. People who have autism, especially kiddos, will throw tantrums when their shirt is too tight, or their breakfast was not the way they are used to having it, but behind those tears and shouts, there is a heart that is full of love. A love that is unwavering because to them, they know no difference between the challenges and the victories. To them, this is the life they live and is nothing short of ordinary. And maybe from the outside looking in, it seems like a mess, but for them, it is theirs to live and love. They march to the beat of their own drum. In a simple world, we would all be better off if only we could learn to dance in the rain. Stay Curious, Kayla ©Inquisitive Perspectives 2018
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