autism a blessing?

[joris]

A friend who also has aspergers, mentioned him seeing how autism (asperger) can be a blessing, in that a friend of his was so able to express himself that it'd touch hearts really.
Can't say much about that he shared that as an encouragement that autism can be/become a blessing.

I was hoping maybe some here could express them seeing their autism being a blessing to others or themselves? Hope that works out

 

[seeingstars]

I think it's a blessing.

 

[joris]

Well I (also) meant to ask, how is it a blessing in your life (and/or for others)?

 

[NewCreation517]

I work with developmentally handicapped individuals & love it. Two of the 15 are autistic & all of them are such a blessing to me & others. What the world may see as weakness, God can use for his glory. People who don't know them may just see the fact that they can't care for themselves & that they can't verbally communicate normally & feel sorry for them. But, after getting to know them for a while, you start to realize they are each individuals & they DO communicate in their own ways. Also, it doesn't take much to make their days! I don't want to generalize, but they find joy in the most simple things. It's safe to say they have blessed me more than I have blessed them

 

[amberlight]

It is a blessing in its own way, yes. Many of us are loyal, great seekers of social justice, great perfectionists - the sort you'd want to be double-checking that bridge design or that safety feature on your car. We can see detail and hear detail and sense detail that others cannot, which again can be a blessing if those skills are used and recognised. But it can also be a great challenge, a great sadness, if we are asked to cope in ways we cannot manage, or treated badly. It's an invisible disability/difference, and one that is very often badly misunderstood by others.
"Fearfully and wonderfully made", I think it says in the Bible. So it is indeed.
Jesus asked that all were invited to His banquet, so we must be good enough for Him, I'd say.

 

[TheZach]

I would definitely call Autism and Aspergers a blessing.

But like every blessing it carries its burdens.

 

[MoeSzyslak]

I'm still looking for the blessings in it. I'm so socially inept, that despite graduating Magna Cum Laude from College, I have found myself homeless in the past due to my lack of certain social abilites and not being able to interview to get a job. I'm not sure I see the blessings in that. I'd drink the normal kool-aid if they served it.

But for the sake of the OP, I have tried to come up with at least one blessing. I'll call it total and utter dependence upon God. Every day is a monumental challenge and without constant prayer and God's constant intervention I couldn't do it. It has kept me real close to God. I guess that's the best blessing one could ask for.

 

[joris]

Thanks for writing! I suppose your struggles are stronger than mine (well, I haven't been homeless, and hopefully never will be), but I kinda recognise what you mean about it making so dependant on God

 

[Amylisa]

I do not have autism myself but my youngest son does. He is six.

Do any of you remember a time when you could not verbalize anything? He is not very verbal at all. He has lots of tantrums which I know are often because he is frustrated. Sometimes though it seems he is being short tempered and having tantrums like any other child who doesn't get what they want all the time. It is hard to be patient with this when it happens SO often. Sometimes he is very loving and then there are times like yesterday when he bit me.

Were any of you in this situation when you were younger? Do you remember?

 

[Dark Rabbit]

I do not have autism myself but my youngest son does. He is six.

Do any of you remember a time when you could not verbalize anything? He is not very verbal at all. He has lots of tantrums which I know are often because he is frustrated. Sometimes though it seems he is being short tempered and having tantrums like any other child who doesn't get what they want all the time. It is hard to be patient with this when it happens SO often. Sometimes he is very loving and then there are times like yesterday when he bit me.

Were any of you in this situation when you were younger? Do you remember?

This sounds like me when I was younger. I have been diagnosed with Asperger's, but I was not able to speak until I was four. I remember almost nothing before that age, but my mother says that I would often bang my head and show signs of frustration, because I wanted to communicate, but lacked the facility of speech. Volumes of information are afforded from speech, not so much with simple gestures. He is understandably quite frustrated.

 

[Demi4God]

I always have to think about the blessing part of my child's Autism. In the long run I have been blessed but on an every day basis,it is such a hard road to travel. I do not always feel it but of all the ways he has changed me it has been in a positive light. I am very giving of myself now.