When you're Autistic like me, the world can be frustrating. It's okay; we all have our frustrations and our joys. The joys of Autism are many, and glorious beyond imagining, and vary from individual to individual.
Here are the five frustration rules of Autism:
Rule number 1: When people get angry at you, they will never tell you what they want from you, and on the rare occasion when they do, there will be a logical contradiction that prevents you from doing it. You just have to ignore their anger, and not let it get to you, and take care of yourself, for there is nothing that you can do about it.
Rule number 2: When the world around you is having its fits, it will, except on rare and sweet occasions, specifically tailor its fits to provoke your weaknesses and avoid your strengths. You just have to ignore it, and not let it get to you, and take care of yourself, for there is nothing you can do about it.
If you find a place that provokes your strengths more than your weaknesses when it has its fits, like I have, cherish it, for it is gold.
Rule number 3: People will obsess about you unnecessarily, and there is nothing you can do about it. You just have to ignore it, and not let it get to you, and take care of yourself, for there is nothing you can do about it.
Rule number 4: 9 out of every 10 people you meet will get angry at you if you ask them to have mercy on you because you have Autism. Cherish that 10% who don't. They are gold.
Rule number 5: no matter how smart you are, you will never, ever be cool, because what Autistics can't do (read people) will always be more important; but you will be cool among the nerds. Cherish your nerd cooldom! It is us nerds that have all the fun!
This is why philosophers and historians are never cool. Because people who are good at history and philosophy have to be good at Autistic logic; people who are good at Autistic logic are bad at its opposite, Non-Autistic Logic; people who are bad at Non-Autistic Logic can't read people, and will never be cool. Be comforted: Socrates was uncool too. The nerds love us! Cherish your nerd cooldom! It is us nerds that have all the fun!
(Or, at least historians are never cool. Maybe there is philosophy for both kinds of logic. But we Autistics are good at philosophy, and Socrates was uncool like us.
Cherish your nerd cooldom!)
And finally, the corollary rule, the Love Rule of Autism: Cherish every bit of love you get from the world, and learn how to take care of yourself, for these are the things that will make you strong. And enjoy the good side of Autism, the ecstatic joys, don't ever let them take that away from you. If they say you are a nerd for it, remember, it is us nerds that get to have all the fun!
And try to enjoy life anyway, for when you are Autistic, when life is sweet, it is sweet beyond the imagining of Brain-Normals!
Which is why I write- I want to tell them, to let them know what is out there!
God loves you!
Sincerely,
David S. Annderson