As April 2nd is World Autism Day, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on what autism brings to our lives.
So often, we are, very understandably, presented with the challenges.
These are undeniable.
But what also cannot be denied is the absolute unique qualities a person with autism brings to the table. They often require us to demand more clarity from ourselves. This means that they require us to be more assertive and confident in ourselves. Over the years, we have been so lucky to work with the wonderful people at Galway Autism Partnership and AsIam. Creating bespoke custom design socks for these brilliant organisations allowed us to learn so much about people with autism.
One of the many things we have learned over the years is that a person with autism has no time for waffle.
While we love an oul shhhhpiel, we cannot help but find this very refreshing.
A person with autism wants you to speak in a clear and concise manner.
They do not deal with untruths.
And because they may not be stuck on worrying about social cues, they see right to the heart of a person.
How beautiful is this?
Let us tell you a gorgeous story about our Michelle who has spent many years working with people with autism. One day, a few years ago, she has just arrived at work in the autism unit where she worked in the West of Ireland.
As Michelle walked into work that morning, a wonderful wee boy stood up and pointed at her and said ‘ You are a beautiful girl.’
Now the big Irish head on her of course had to respond with ‘Ara musha, would ya shtop! Sure I look wrecked.’
This left the boy confused.
Because to him, Michelle was lying.
He continued to ask her why she would deny what to him was a fact.
So from that day onwards, Michelle learned to accept compliments.
And she still does.
Can’t get enough of them hai!
And when Michelle isn’t writing about all things socks, she writes about the world of autism. For the month of April, Michelle is giving away copies of her short eBook for free. This eBook is a guide to help those working with children with autism. For your free copy, visit https://www.realtadrama.com/
And these are the one of the many precious gifts a person with autism gives us.
Everyday.
So let’s celebrate the amazing people with autism in our lives on April 2nd.
And everyday!