So Much More Than That

     In middle school, I would walk past the cafeteria during passing period of 4th-5th periods and at that time the autistic people would have lunch and I was always try to be inviting to them and say hi and make them feel normal, just anything unlike how other people treated them. It was pretty awkward at the beginning but later as I got to talk to them I understood how they felt a bit better. The truth is that they are a lot like everyone else, its just that they have a problem with empathy.
     Imagine that you live in a world where everyone was telepathic meaning they all can understand what everyone else is thinking... except for you. Everyone gets what everyone else is talking about and what their intentions are, except you. Forcing you to rely on body movements, face cues, tone changes, it isn't impossible but it is harder than it is for everyone else, and it definitively takes more work for you than others. They can detect how others feel and give an appropriate response to it, while your left behind in the mud.
     It could feel like everything is going alright for a while but then you say something. Nothing offensive or rude but something weird, normal to you, but seemingly very strange to them. So they slowly turn their backs toward you. Because of your unknowing violation of this unwritten social cue they leave you out of the conversation bit by bit and start shunning you. You realize that you've killed the flow of it all.When they leave you're certain that they'll be talking about how weird or strange or crazy you are.
     Having to constantly try to interpret indicators of whether their wanted or unwanted, whether something is appropriate to say or if it isn't okay. Having to do everything with so much precision to avoid the fate of being shunned. Having to constantly understand the ever changing rules of the social life. Having autism is also two sided battle, you logical side constantly tries to battle with the lazy, unproductive part of you to try to do something and not get distracted by little things like getting shoes or going to a carnival. Ignoring your less mature side results in a meltdown forcing them to choose between public humiliation and counterproductivity, both resulting in negative outcomes.
     But something that bothers me is how people dramatize them. If you met a person diagnosed with autism... you've met someone with autism. You haven't met a special kid, you haven't met someone you need to choose words carefully around, they're so much more than just that. You've simply met another person diagnosed with autism.
     It isn't a disease, it isn't a huge puzzle, its just a different person, a person with autism.