Dear Editor:
As a social service worker, I spend my days in different towns, businesses, and homes with many wonderful people. And, the more of you I meet, the more I am reminded how differently we can experience the places we share (and that is okay).
One of the things I’ve learned about myself in the past two years is that I am autistic. Granted, my autism doesn’t stand out as much as some would expect. Most people wouldn’t guess that I’m neurodiverse until they spend a few days with me. But, here I am! And as an autistic member of our community, I would like to share a bit of myself during World Autism Month.
Let me begin with a place we’re all familiar with: the Grand River. Can you see it flowing along, chock-full of rushing bubbles? That is sometimes what it feels like as words, thoughts and senses rush through me. It is like a million bubbles bursting and popping, often before I can make sense of a single one.
Even in our small and quiet community, there are so many “bubbles” flowing through me and so few times I can capture them. Though, when I do, it’s always a gift.
Now, imagine the cliffs of our Elora Gorge that carve through our town. Those beautiful yet jagged rocks are like the sharp edges I feel when unexpected sounds, voices, lights and even laughter swirl around me. Though I love the people who call out, laugh, turn up their lights and blow bagpipes on sunny afternoons, these sensory surprises can cause me to tighten up for a moment to re-centre.
So keep laughing and lighting up the town, but don’t be surprised if I need to turn away for a moment … I’ll be back as soon as possible.
Finally, consider the new sunrises coming over the fields. Feelings of “newness” bring a strange mix of excitement and unrest whenever people welcome me into their space – a frequent gesture in our community.
For me, returning to the same places, chairs, voices and routines are part of the rhythms that hold me secure. We all need familiar places in our lives, but people like me crave it all the more. So, if I am slow to step out and introduce myself, just know I might be unsure of what the newness might feel like for me.
So, here I am, surrounded by bubbles, edges and newness. These are parts of our community and parts of me. And, I hope this helps us consider the different minds, bodies and experiences who find home in this wonderful place called Wellington County.
Corey Parish,
Fergus