An Outsiders Look Into The Autism World

There aren't a lot of absolutes in life, and even fewer for the autism community. Sure, there are similarities and familiar behaviors, but behind every one of those stims, outbursts of joy and giggles, or meltdowns is a child. A kid. A human. And you don't have to look far to find the parent of that child, as they are rarely if ever on their own to explore the world. Many of them can't be. This society was not designed with them in mind. But we can change a lot of that. We can choose to ignore it because it isn't our journey, or we can choose to learn, embrace, listen. As an outsider looking in with zero personal experience with a child with autism I have observed the following: a world woefully unprepared for these children. Parents learning as they go, with no clear trajectory or glimpse into what the coming days weeks months or years will look like for their child; for their marriage; for their neurotypical children. No guarantee that the Family and friends will stick around to try and understand. No streamlined processes in the medical, therapeutic. educational and social structures we have built so carefully, generation after generation for the neurotypical people. We stare at the "behavior" in the store. We make assumptions. We judge. We lack empathy. We make people feel alone. We throw grace out the window. We don't offer to help. We have to do better. We have to walk in each other's shoes if we ever hope to have a kinder world for all people. We have to bring our gifts and abilities together and form a community that takes into account all families. We need to include all children. We need to want to understand our part. Because we all have a part. It's the very definition of community. And itsn't that what we are all craving?

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