*Life takes a daily toll on even marginally autistic people like me. I do a lot more compromising than I want to. I spend countless hours answering emails from people who just want me to tell them how I fixed myself so they can fix their kids. It doesn’t matter how much I try to increase their understanding. They can’t understand what they are too afraid to deal with. They only see one way out, an impossible way, becoming normal.

This quote is by Jerry Newport from his book Your Life Is Not A Label. Mr. Newport expresses himself so well. His book helped me when my son Grayson was young. And it guided me as the years went by. My son gave me a new perspective on what life is like when you are the mother of a child on the Autism Spectrum or with special needs. Unfortunately, I had to hear the word “normal” used when referring to Grayson’s behavior. I was asked, “Will he live a normal life? Do you think he will be able to act normal someday?”

I became very tired of the word normal. I don’t want to take the word normal out of the dictionary. I do want to remove the comment normal from the human vocabulary. Try to look at each person as unique. I focus on the beautiful aspects of each person I meet. I don’t look or expect normalcy. I never cared if my son appeared normal. My only concern was if he was happy.

My son is happy, and I am too.

Your Life Is Not A Label. Author Jerry Newport