Being diagnosed for any difference, it's not about the labelno one need know, it's about true identity. - Alyson
"I see people with Asperger's syndrome as a bright thread in the rich tapestry of life" - Tony Attwood.
"It seems that for success in science or art, a dash of autism is essential" Hans Asperger.
"Autism (with a capital “A”) to me, says that I accept my child wholly. I celebrate his differences and his quirky-ness. I advocate diversity. I try to empower him. I am proud of his successes, no matter how small they seem. I hope he holds onto the compassion he has in his heart into adulthood. I do not think he needs “fixing”. I am proud that he is my son, and sometimes I am humbled by that very same thought."-Odd One Out Blog
"The difference between high-functioning and low-functioning is that high-functioning means your deficits are ignored, and low- functioning means your assets are ignored." Laura Tisoncik
"Patience. Patience. Patience. Work to view my autism as a different ability rather than a disability. Look past what you may see as limitations and see the gifts autism has given me. It may be true that I’m not good at eye contact or conversation, but have you noticed that I don’t lie, cheat at games, tattle on my classmates or pass judgment on other people? Also true that I probably won’t be the next Michael Jordan. But with my attention to fine detail and capacity for extraordinary focus, I might be the next Einstein. Or Mozart. Or Van Gogh." - Ellen Notbohm
"Nobel prize-calibre geniuses often have certain core autistic features at their heart" Allan Snyder, director of Sydney University's Centre for the Mind.
"Imagine a world where Aspergers was the norm, and non-autistics or neurotypicals were the minority. Let's try it: Those who feel the need to constantly be with a variety of friends are considered fickle. Those with no propensity for computers and science are called geeks. Those with no special interest are thought to be ungrounded and lost. Those without obsessive focus have to take classes to cultivate it."-Rudy Simone
"When living with a neurological condition (or with a loved one who has one), it can be very easy to focus on the challenges and limitations. But in my life, I have found that focusing on abilities, finding new ways to adapt, have been crucial to my successes in life. Seeking those solutions can even be seen as a form of creativity.
Although, like anyone, I have my moments of discouragement, I've learned to use my challenges to push me forward. I believe what Dr. Sacks says is very important. There is much more to a life on the spectrum than just deficiencies and deficits, and those "deficiencies and deficits" can very well be strengths in certain circumstances." -Lynn Soraya
"The child must know that he is a miracle, that since the beginning of the world there hasn't been, and until the end of the world there will not be, another child like him" ~Pablo Casals
There comes a time when you have to stand up and shout:
This is me damn it! I look the way I look, think the way I think, feel the way I feel, love the way I love! I am a whole complex package. Take me or leave me. Accept me or walk away! Do not try to make me feel like less of a person, just because I don't fit your idea of who I should be and don't try to change me to fit your mold. When you are strong enough to love yourself 100%, good & bad - you will be amazed at the opportunities that life presents you.” ~ Stacey Charter
