"In formal logic, a contradiction is the signal of defeat, but in the evolution of real knowledge it marks the first step in progress toward a victory." - Alfred North Whitehead
Well, we meet again.🙂
Quite a few people have said they were looking forward to reading my next post. I'm going to use the word "humbling" again because it truly fits how that feels.
Regarding my journey of exploration of ASD understanding and diagnosis - I have no doubts. When it comes to blogging (or whatever this is) I'm like a gherkin pickling in the vinegar of self-doubt! So imagine my surprise when I discovered that my 1st 2 blog posts have had over 600 views. 1) Humbling 2) I shouldn't, couldn't and won't stop now. I'm committed.
"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
So what has been happening on my autism journey so far? Where did it begin? Where am I now? Where am I heading? Where will I end up?
Where did it begin?
As a child, I was different and relished being so. I am an only child from Rotherham in South Yorkshire, UK. I was brought up in a loving home and raised by 2 amazing, loving and caring parents. My father passed away in 2003 and my mother lives in Rotherham.
We attended a Pentecostal Christian church and I have many happy memories of friendships and being in a caring church community.
I noticed patterns which I found strange that others had not noticed. For example, let's take the Redemption Hymnal (the major Hymn Book at the time), containing 800 hymns as I recall.
I asked my mother why one hymnist (whose name escapes me 40 years later) never had a chorus in any of their hymns. My mother looked perplexed and said she had never noticed. She checked out my claim and gave me 50 pence for the cleverness of my observation!🙂 I thought nothing of it, was just amused and disbelieving that no-one else had noticed.
We moved to Antwerp in Belgium when I was 4 years old, and didn't return to England until I was 7.
One on return visit we were on a coach back to Rotherham when I had a very bad asthma attack.
My lips turned blue and I began to struggle to retain consciousness. I persuaded a man to let me use his inhaler. He was concerned but I pointed out that the dosage of Sodium Cromoglicate would be fine for a child as the pro-rated difference of chemical ingredient could not be so finely tuned so as differentiate between us ergo it was unlikely to kill me.
I calmly added that the fact I had turned blue swayed the argument in my favour in any event.
He gave me the inhaler, I began to breathe a little better, got off the coach at the motorway services and violently threw up. Getting back on the coach, and after conversing with the coach driver, we agreed it was logical to drop my mum and I off at Casualty at Rotherham District General Hospital.
I clearly recall seeing startled patients standing around the entrance to A&E wondering why a huge coach was dropping my mum and I off.
Their astonishment truly peaked when the coach driver hand balled off our suitcases, I shook his hand and I calmly walked into Casualty.
I was placed in an oxygen tent for several days. Perhaps it was the 99.999% oxygen saturation levels or the heady ego of a 6 year old but I asked my nurse to marry me. She thought for a moment, looking very serious and then said yes with an incredible smile!🙂
I mentioned this to my wife once who pointed out that the nurse would now be in her late 70s, so my threat to trace her made Maria laugh and not the slightest bit jealous . . .🙂
“Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.” - Margaret Mead
Anyway - all of this, whilst amusing - still seems logical to this day. Aside from asking a random nurse to marry me, I doubt I would act any different today.
As I write this now, it poignantly reminds me that we are all are the same insofar as we are all unique.
Patterns and logic form an integral and perpetual part of my outlook. Always analysing, always looking for a reason or a logical outcome.
In my next post - I'll try to write about the next aspects
Where am I now? Where am I heading? Where will I end up?
Thanks for reading - I'll catch up with you soon.
Chris