I found this article by John Elder Robinson (Look Me in the Eye: My Life With Asperger’s ) quite moving. Here is a excerpt:
All kids suffer social setbacks, but for those of us with neurological differences like Asperger’s, social failure often proves to be the norm. Through it all, I paid close attention in an effort to unravel the cause of my social failure. I learned to look aloof, and set myself apart, and I made myself popular for brief moments with my practical jokes. I learned enough social skills to get along, though I never really understood other people. In that way, I made it through childhood.
School was an ugly place for me. It was an environment where my failures and disabilities were obvious, and my talents were rendered invisible or worthless. I couldn’t wait to leave, and I did so at the first possible opportunity. Some of us are lucky enough to find gifts among our various traits, and as we get older, those gifts can lead to some degree of academic or commercial success. That’s what happened to me, as I achieved success in the music industry and later in the business world.
This article brought up a wave of feelings for me — I’m not ready to talk about it right now. Maybe that’s a post for another day — eh?
Filed under: Asperger's & Autism
Hugs.