Autism Makes Me Better

I just read this great post in all the ways this particular mama feels raising her autistic children has made her a better person.

No, it's not all sunshine and roses, but it's not all blood and thorns either. I can appreciate her positive perspective and I often feel the same way. I have learned more patience, compassion and understanding from my son than from any other person. And like her kids, my son is just hilarious to be around. His smile can light up a room. It's easy to keep smiling with him around and we are all better off for it.

Y'all Talk Too Slow

I have written many times about accepting my son how he is (here, here and here), but I'll admit, one thing I do not like about Asperger's (and consequently, my husband) is how they talk so slowly and take FOR FREAKING EVER to get to the point of their story. Sometimes it makes me want to die. No really, I have NO PATIENCE. I've been working on it, but I'm a work in progress.

At the very least, I have patience for my son - there is a delay to his responses and he is slow to express himself most days. I have not lost it with him yet, but I fear I will in the future. At some point, he will cease to be cute, small and nice-smelling, with a teeny voice, and turn into a pimply, stinky, gangly teenager, most likely much larger than me. Probably a lot like his father. Will I lose it with him then?

It's a flaw I have in myself. It's a lack of empathy and respect. I know their brains (and mine, as far as I'm concerned) work differently, but I can't always muster those basic things in order to tolerate what I lack patience for. What they have to say is valid, important, insightful, useful. Why can't I just patiently wait for it?

Here are two examples:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLOJQmsRpag&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnoIXREzYmM&feature=related

 This is very much how the Little Man speaks right now: