Dear Noah....ongoing toiletry issues, voice cracking and no cures please...

Noah:

Even at 14 years of age you still have some toiletry issues...which I will not go into since you are now 14 years old...but suffice to say you have made great progress...and likely will always have some issues to deal with in this regard..but you definitely need to always remember to GO when you feel the urge to go! This would eliminate most if not all of your issues my little man!

You submerged headlong into puberty a few years ago...and your voice has been very deep for a long time now...but recently it has started to "crack" quite a bit...which you asked me last night if that was "normal." You were comforted knowing that yes, it is.

Last night you walked into my office and told me that some people were trying to come up with a "cure" for "autism" and you did not understand that....very loudly expressing to me (and perhaps to our neighbors) that you were NOT interested in any cure....and WHY did anyone want to CURE you or get rid of your autism...that you LIKED how you were. In your way of thinking...the only reason you could come up with for someone trying to find a "cure" to "change" you into becoming more like them was the same reason the teachers in the public schools always tried to "change" you to be "like everyone else"...to make their lives easier...so they would not have to put in the extra time or extend themselves a little out of their own comfort zone to just work with you as you are and accept you for who you are and just deal with it.

You informed me that many times just because someone has autism you are singled out and treated unfairly or given "crap" jobs. I think that is what you called it. Basically something less than anyone else would normally be offered....merely because you are different.

We talked about this for a while. I am so thankful you have learned to just EMBRACE who you ARE and not try to change to become what someone else thinks you need to become. I did tell you that many are discriminated against in the world, not just autistic people, but yes they are definitely included and have their own share of issues to deal with..but also overweight people, black people, some white people, Asians, Indians, disabled people..etc...and ALL usually merely because of ignorance and the fact that the person doing the discriminating is the one who is "uncomfortable" with those discriminated against persons being in their world. Such a slippery slope mankind has weaved here to try to determine someone else's value in the world by their own personal biases.

I did tell you there are some autistic people who have it really severe and usually combined with many other issues making their lives very challenging, and maybe some of them would like to change some things to be able to lessen those challenges or eliminate them altogether, but most every autistic person I have ever spoken with, usually feels as you do (if they are aware of their being and surroundings) and have no desire to change just to be in "my" world for example.

SO...stay strong my little man....go boldly as colorful and "different" as you can in expressing yourself and your desire to be accepted as you are, not letting anyone tell you ever that you are not good enough, strong enough, smart enough, "valuable" enough to just even be alive in this world...just as  you are.

I love you Noah....just as you are...always have and always will.

Mom
XOXOXOX