“The pursuit of normality is the ultimate sacrifice of potential.”
(Faith Jegede)
Faith Jegede shared some of the lessons she has learned over the years living with two brothers with Autism. We decided to ask around a bit: What is a big lesson you’ve learned from your child/sibling/cousin/friend with Autism? Here are some of the responses we got on our Facebook page…
Bayla said: A person with autism taught me give notice to my surroundings and to pay atttention to how those surroundings affect people whose needs may be different than mine
Francis said: I learned that I can’t rifle off the names of all the presidents in order in less than 60 seconds as my young friend can. That my cell phone doesn’t float. That toy dinosaurs can be worth stealing. That biting can be friendly. That water is magical. That lights are bright. That crowds are noisy. That screaming at the top of your lungs can be the best way to go. That silence does not mean you have nothing to say, or that you can’t speak. That awareness is powerful. A person with autism taught me to constantly see the positive side of things, and that happiness depends on your perspective.
Michael said: Patience and compassion.
Darla said: The sperm whale has an empty space in its huge head large enough for a jeep to fit in it.
Jenn said: A child (multiple children) with autism taught me how much it is possible to love what I do everyday. I have learned how rewarding it is to help a child to be better able to function in their environment while still preserving what makes them such a unique, interesting, and valuable person. Also, the plots to entire episodes of Good Luck Charlie and Penguins of Madagascar.
Lindsay said: I have learned SO MANY things and continue to learn daily. One of the most important being that children with autism can’t and certainly DO NOT need to be "fixed”. They are some of the hardest working people that I know and sometimes the smallest accomplishments to others are HUGE for them. So take time to get to know them before you judge them.
Nancy said: “I learned that it is okay to say no. That it is okay to be silly sometimes. To wake up laughing, just to be laughing. To sing when you feel like singing.”
What about YOU?