Acceptance

April 2018

Acceptance

It's all the small pieces of effort that help make the big difference

*

When did you start walking?

‘When I was one’ she wrote.

When did you start talking?

Hesitation ran through her. A lie to fit in or the truth?

She had first spoken at the age of four and she hardly spoke sentences, despite being nine. She never fit in – she looked different, she talked different, she acted different. A memory flooded into her thoughts.

‘Repeat after me – I want the book’ he had instructed, but she only replied with ‘book’. 

Look at me at least’ he had pleaded her. He tilted her chin up to make her look at him in the eye but she struggled out of his hands. She was never comfortable looking into anyone’s eye, how would he be any different? After all, he was just another therapist.

‘Let’s talk about school today. How was first grade?’

Ugh, she had always hated places with people. More people would look at her and more people would treat her like she didn’t belong. The only thing she liked was the piano. Playing the soft music was her dream. She had watched countless videos of people playing and had tried it out once. It was the only way she could immerse herself in the world where she was valued.
 That’s all she wanted to talk about.

‘Did you know that grand pianos have 88 keys?’

‘I loved playing ball in recess.’ he replied, trying to get her to reply.

‘Did you know that Bartolomeo Cristofori is the inventor of the piano?’

She would never change, she knew.

She was autistic.

*

World Autism Awareness Day is celebrated on April 2nd, sadly unknown to many. The UN encourages people to look at Autism not as a disorder but as a difference. Many tend to overlook the way they see life differently. Autistic people are often thought of as dull-witted, although some show extraordinary abilities.

Disregarded, many develop self-esteem issues and are often demoralised in themselves.

I send my love to all those who are fighting for their unheard voices. I send my love to all those who are stricken with despair. I send my love to all of those who are facing the harshness of the society due to difference.

I send my love to all those who are trying to find and accept themselves.  💝