Victory Over Optical Illusions: a Perspective on Autism

My daughter and I recently started to put together a series of videos about our family's daily experiences with chronic illness and disabilities.   We both have a desire to use our challenges as a testimony so that we can rise above our circumstances and help others have insight.  Our mission is to inspire those who have their own struggles to get out of their comfort zone and share their stories.  I have been blogging about living with chronic Lyme disease for more than seven years and have made this a platform for my ministry to encourage others and to pursue joy in all circumstances.  In doing the vlogging series, Heart of the Dragon, we have taken these experiences at another level with candid videos about our daily pursuits. In these pursuits, we decided to come forward publicly and share her testimony.

I can testify that the emotional process of parenting a an autistic child has been like walking through a foreign country, unsure of how to navigate our surroundings--so we wing it.  Since my daughter's experience doesn't fit the autism stereotype, we went through stages of denial and misunderstanding about her situation.  We did provide early intervention for her through local services and early childhood programs; however, because there was no concrete diagnosis until she was in high school, we did not have many resources or information on how to help her.  We just took it a day at a time and worked through it as we went.  We made plenty of mistakes along the way but encouraged her to be independent and work as hard as she could given her situation.  Later on, I realized how inadequate her support system was; however, there were a couple of teachers who understood her and made a positive impact on her life.  As an adult, she has become an amazing advocate for autistic children and adults, and I am extremely proud of the difference she has made.

I sometimes wish that I would have had the knowledge and resources that I am aware of now when she was a child so that we could have been more understanding and supportive of her needs; however, we are very thankful and blessed to have such a kind and dedicated daughter.  She has always been socially reserved and not many have had the honor to know the quirky, funny, brilliant, and delightful young lady that we know.  I have always had a secret desire to share the person I know with the world so that those who have misunderstood her could see her for who she really is.

This summer, we began our mission to take victory over our lives and had an incredible time in the process.  Most recently, we did a series of videos about a family vacation to Branson, MO.  My favorite video was about her perspective on optical illusions at the Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum.  I was fascinated to find out that she could go through a very disorientating exhibit without any problem while everyone else had significant struggles, some not being able to get through it at all. The reason why it was easy for my daughter was because her autistic brain enabled her to see details that others would not notice, and she was able to figure out how the optical illusion worked.   It was amazing for me to observe her perspective on the the exhibit. Others were also fascinated by the video we made about the exhibit because of its enlightening perspective.  When I told my daughter about the response to the video, she laughed and told me that she doesn't want be seen as a "super hero" or an "awesome autistic."  She just wants people to see her for who she really is and accept her as a person.  My daughter knows I see her as a hero.  My kids are all my heroes because they are fighters and they inspire me.  I am excited to share more about autism through my writing ministry and put together a few video clips about it as well.  We hope to bring a new light to  our unique situation and let others who are autistic know that they can thrive no matter what challenges they face!

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JOYFUL TREASURES:  Be Real and Share Your Story!

" I don't want my thoughts to die with me, I want to have done something.  I'm not interested in power or piles of money.  I want to leave something behind.  I want to make a positive contribution- know that my life has meaning."  --Temple Grandin

We all have a story to share.  Don't be afraid to speak up and be a testimony.  You never know who might need to hear your story.  You can change the world one word or idea at a time!

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Here is the video we put together about my daughter's perspectives on optical illusions during our recent trip to Branson.  Please note that she has since corrected me on how to describe autism as she doesn't use the phrase "autism spectrum" and finds the term "high functioning autistic" to be degrading.  I also have quoted autism advocate and author, Temple Grandin, in this video and in my blog.  My daughter has made it clear that she does not agree with some of the things Grandin has said about autism and she is not a fan of her work.  Since first posting this blog and video, I have learned that there are many common misconceptions about autism, and I do the best I can to show respect to the autistic community by noting these misconceptions and respecting their preferences.  I have shared Grandin's work in this case because of her enlightening perspective on optical illusions from an autistic point of view:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsLw5-pnn-4

For more information about Temple Grandin and her movie about optical illusions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWuem1ViVDE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGbFUajfNe8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKhg68QJlo0