3/31/2023
Every year as April approaches I feel two conflicting feelings set in me. Excitement because there is a whole month that I can talk to people and educate people about Autism and Acceptance. Anxiety because it’s a month of people being bombarded everywhere about Autism and Awareness, and old stereotypes being passed on in media and social media. It’s exhausting.
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4/30/2023 11:59pm
I started writing this post on March 31st. It’s the last day of April. :
This month started with the best of intentions and many busy things to do. Planning and attending the Annual General Meeting of the Autism Alliance of Canada, and then Easter with family, followed by the 9th Annual Canadian Autism Leadership Summit (CALS). All this just wiped my body out.
I’ve learned to listen to my body since my car accident in 2020. When I do too much, or have too much stress, my body reacts, and forces me to rest. I needed it.
So what had planned to me a meaty article about Autism Acceptance and moving things forward, is lost this year to the abyss. So instead I will link to you the article I wrote for the Inaugural 2021 edition of the Canadian Journal of Autism Equity entitled “Moving From Autism Awareness to Acceptance – Language of Inclusion “.
We recorded a podcast last week on dealing with setbacks as Autistics, and how challenging they can be. When the episode is up, I hope to write a brief article around it. It’s hard when you set before yourself plans and ideas that on a good day you know you can do, but life or your body throws you from that plan, and it can be hard to deal with it, understand it, and then find a way through it.
It’s not easy. But as my favourite character from the Flash TV show, Captain Cold says “You have to make the plan, execute the plan, watch the plan go off the rails, throw away the plan.”
The world celebrates Autism for one month in a year, but we Autistic live it and should celebrate it every day, every month. So April is over, but I’ll find a way to write the stuff this month, and next month, and maybe next April there will be a slew of stuff that can get reused and amplified then.
Maddy, The Autistic Rambler