Thursday, October 1, 2015

Autism Answer: Our Empathy For His Apathy Starts With Our Understanding Of Him

On our way to the high school this morning my two youngest sons were chatting. I heard Declyn, the youngest, say offhandedly, "Ya, well, I'm pretty apathetic."

I jumped in with, "That's how you see yourself?"

"I've always known it." 

"I've always known you were almost painfully empathetic and had to shut it down by wearing apathetic like a shield. So, ya, I see why you'd call yourself apathetic." 

The windows were open and our words swirled around the inside of our car like plastic bags. Shay grabbed them before they flew out the window and made them his own. "I remember you cried when you were reading The Outsiders. You were, like, ten and you cared so much about it that you had to go outside on the trampoline for hours."

Declyn laughed and smiled, remembering. 

I kept going, "The feelings of other people have always affected you almost too strongly. It's like you're stuck in a room filled with strobe lights and you have to close your eyes so you don't get dizzy or have a seizure." 

"You guys really know me."

We do. We do really know each other. 

I like that!

Hugs, smiles, and love!!

Autism Answers with Tsara Shelton (Facebook)

Declyn and Shay, my two youngest sons.