I appreciate you opening up like this. It’s real, it hits home in a way that’s hard to put into words. Reading about the path you’ve been on to make peace with who you are - after everything - is impactful. A lot of us, in different ways, feel the pressure to be someone we’re not. Your story makes that struggle feel way less isolating. Thank you for sharing, it really matters.
Thank you for your comments. It’s rewarding to hear that my story has helped someone feel less isolated.
In my journey there was one experience that stands out in my memory that made me feel normal. I would go on these silent meditation retreats. Absolutely no talking between participants. Only our meditation guide spoke. Even eye contact was discouraged. A place where I could easily blend in for a nice change. We ate our meals together but in silence. These retreats are when I felt most comfortable around others, especially in large groups.
On one such retreat we did an exercise where we individually sat with our fears while being witnessed by the group. We had the option to speak or to remain silent.
After the 3 days concluded we then got to share (or not) our experience with the group. Only 2 of us were autistic, that I know of. What I heard from every neurotypical person were the same internal struggles we have, this struggle to be who they are. HD has illuminated for me that this is part of the human experience. I deeply took into my being that we are all the same AND we are each unique.
In our silence we all felt deeply supported with our aloneness. 🫶🏻
Oh wow. It’s amazing how silence, which is something that feels isolating to many people, instead created a sense of connection and understanding. And that moment - realizing that everyone, neurotypical or not, wrestles with the same core struggles - feels so meaningful. Even in our aloneness, we’re not as different as we might think.
I appreciate you opening up like this. It’s real, it hits home in a way that’s hard to put into words. Reading about the path you’ve been on to make peace with who you are - after everything - is impactful. A lot of us, in different ways, feel the pressure to be someone we’re not. Your story makes that struggle feel way less isolating. Thank you for sharing, it really matters.
Thank you for your comments. It’s rewarding to hear that my story has helped someone feel less isolated.
In my journey there was one experience that stands out in my memory that made me feel normal. I would go on these silent meditation retreats. Absolutely no talking between participants. Only our meditation guide spoke. Even eye contact was discouraged. A place where I could easily blend in for a nice change. We ate our meals together but in silence. These retreats are when I felt most comfortable around others, especially in large groups.
On one such retreat we did an exercise where we individually sat with our fears while being witnessed by the group. We had the option to speak or to remain silent.
After the 3 days concluded we then got to share (or not) our experience with the group. Only 2 of us were autistic, that I know of. What I heard from every neurotypical person were the same internal struggles we have, this struggle to be who they are. HD has illuminated for me that this is part of the human experience. I deeply took into my being that we are all the same AND we are each unique.
In our silence we all felt deeply supported with our aloneness. 🫶🏻
Oh wow. It’s amazing how silence, which is something that feels isolating to many people, instead created a sense of connection and understanding. And that moment - realizing that everyone, neurotypical or not, wrestles with the same core struggles - feels so meaningful. Even in our aloneness, we’re not as different as we might think.