A Different View of Autism

The Archangels' Interpretation of Neurodivergent People

I’m a retired teacher.  I worked with many different kinds of students through the years.  One school I worked at was a center for the hearing impaired, and I welcomed students and their interpreters daily, and they were a joy to have in the classroom.  The latter part of my career, I was a reading specialist and worked with many kids who’d been labeled as dyslexic.  Few of them actually were, but people had quit too quickly in analyzing and addressing their needs.  Once I tested and determined their strengths and weaknesses, I was usually able to teach them the skills they needed to improve and be successful.  Note, please, I mentioned strengths as well as weaknesses.  Too many times, people look at a label and write off the person who carries it based on incomplete and incorrect assumptions, whether the label reflected special education, behavioral modification plans, physical disabilities, or whatever other issues were revealed in the student’s individual education plan, or IEP.

Towards the end of my career, I taught more and more autistic students.  There were times I heard my colleagues complain about special needs and modifications, but I found that if you, again, analyzed their strengths and weaknesses, welcomed and accepted them, and let them know that you genuinely cared about them and were on their side, we had a successful, enjoyable time together.  I always thought of all of my students, labeled or not, as locks, while I had all these keys and had to determine which one fit them and opened them up to learning.

According to some sources, there have been about three times the number of diagnosed cases of autism in the United States over the past twenty years.  There are different ideas as to why this has happened with some suggesting it is just more accurately diagnosed, others suggested a disproven link to vaccines, and a couple of other ideas thrown in for good measure.  As a former educator and always a children’s advocate, I decided to ask the Archangels about this.  Their answer follows.

Question:  There has been a hefty increase in diagnosed autism cases over the last couple of decades.  Why is this?

Answer:

All people contribute to the world as well as The Shift in various ways.  They are all valued and valuable.  Sometimes their gifts and contributions are obvious, and other times, not as much, but if they did not accomplish their purposes, or at least most of them, the world would be at a loss.  Even those who are causing harm to others serve a higher purpose, often summoning needed changes and uncovering problems, truths, and solutions.  It is often difficult for such souls to agree to perform these needed tasks, and it takes a toll on the soul, even if the human being does not seem to suffer, and when the lifetime is over, the soul often needs extra care to rejuvenate.

With regard to the increase in people who have what many consider “defects” or “disabilities,” such as autism, in actuality, these people will be needed in the near future, and their “disabilities” are often signs of evolution and progression.  The world will need new leaders, new solutions, and new ways of thinking in general, and these very people will serve among them in many cases.  Even for those who do not seem to be able to function easily in the world, they are often sent to teach others various lessons and serve in less obvious ways that can lead to growth for themselves and for others.

While autism does indeed sometimes make life harder for some, it also makes some things easier, including the ability to think logically and all inclusively in some cases, which is extremely difficult for most people who are “normal.”  Society’s ideas of what is not “normal,” not to mention “acceptable,” is the cause for many of the world’s problems today.  There are solutions to all of Earth’s and humanity’s problems, but most people do not know where to look or how to find them.

There are not many new problems.  Most of your problems are long standing and have built and worsened over time with little long-lasting improvement.  Emotions such as fear and anger, as well as outdated notions and beliefs get in the way of solving them.  The problem solvers needed to address these things will need to think logically, equitably, fairly, and differently, and some people with autism are very well suited for this kind of work.

More and more people will fall under labels previously considered as “less,” “handicapped,” or “disadvantaged,” when in reality, they are needed and will help redesign the world in many positive ways.  It is society that needs to catch up with them, rather than the other way around.

This can cause friction and discomfort at times, but with loving support and open minds, the way forward can be paved more smoothly.  While it is true that autism and other similar situations can cause difficulty, especially when people are younger and struggling to make sense of the world, these struggles can be minimalized with the proper support and understanding.  Finding your place in the world is difficult for “normal” people, much less for those who are labeled as different in some way.  Societal views often take a long time to change, but this is already beginning, and it will move much more quickly once examples are set showing how gifted many of these “neurodivergent” people really are, and the parts they will play in changing and improving the world.

The better way to think of these individuals is to focus not on what they may seem to lack, but on their many strengths and gifts.  People would do well to change their perspectives.  Rather than thinking of a powerful focus on something as a fixation, a passion for something is more appropriate.  Instead of thinking someone lacks social skills, it is more helpful to realize who or what they do relate to, rather than what eludes them.  Focus on strengths.  If someone is not adept at relating to other people, respect and accept that and steer them towards things with which they have a clearer connection and use them as a means to explore and expand interests.

The most effective problem-solving teams reflect diversity in backgrounds, personalities, learning styles, strengths, interests, and skills.  The more different people are from each other, the more varied and far ranging their ideas and contributions, which can serve as doorways into areas that would not have otherwise been explored.

There will come a time when society will relax its ideas of “good vs. bad,” “acceptable vs. unacceptable,” and what is “normal.”  Competition will be replaced with collaboration, and differences will be appreciated and held in high regard, rather than scorned.  Old methods, thoughts, beliefs, and ideas need to be replaced with new, improved, and more all-encompassing universal ones, because clearly, what has been done in the past has not been successful for the vast majority of people as is evidenced by the lack of joy, hope, love, and peace in the world.

Earth needs new people in leadership roles who think differently, and many of them will stand out as “different.”  Different is exactly what is needed now and in the future.

Final Thoughts

My favorite autistic student – we’ll call him Al – was an absolute joy to teach most of the time.  He was placed in my reading intervention class not because he didn’t read well, but because he couldn’t pass the state reading test.  He experienced test anxiety and did not test well in a room full of other students, led by a teacher who he didn’t know.  I fought for him to be given a different elective, not because I didn’t want to teach him, but because he was bored out of his mind since he read at such a high level.  Offering him alternative assignments helped, but really, he couldn’t understand why he was there.  It took me contacting his parents and explaining the situation, changing his testing protocol, and holding a special education meeting to get permission for him to take a different elective more to his liking.  He passed the reading test later that year, not because I “fixed” him, but because I understood him and took the time and made the effort to make sure his needs were being met more appropriately.  I saw him years later, and he gave me a big ol’ hug, as we were so happy to see each other.  He was doing well in school and I have every faith that he will continue to do well.

All these labels, especially in education, often limit kids from reaching their full potential, because people assume they can’t do certain things.  Sometimes, they are limited, but always, they have areas where they can do well if given the appropriate opportunity.  The teacher usually sets the tone in a classroom.  When I taught, my kids always knew I was on their side, and I cared about them.  There were many times I fought for them, defended them from other teachers and students, and advocated for them to be accepted and challenged and find success in the classroom.  Most of the time, it worked out pretty well.  I still occasionally hear from a few of them from time to time.  First, I received high school graduation announcements, then wedding invitations, then baby shower invites, sometimes requests for a letter of reference.  I’ve been out of the game for nearly a decade now, so they’ve slowed down quite a bit, but it makes me believe I made my own contribution to society and had a part in helping them continue to reach for their potential.  I may not have a cushy retirement, but I have no regrets for my career choice.  I think I made a difference, which is what I still try to do by sharing these messages.  That’s more important to me than money.

The intention for Friday Night Meditation with the Archangels is Renewal.  Give me some of that!  I had a rough week as I had to go to a specialist for a root canal, and I’m just beginning to feel better, although I’m still just on soup for now.  I hope your week was better than mine!  I hope your weekend is full of joy, hope, love, and peace, and you do something nice for yourself.  Eat a slice of pizza or a burger for me, yeah?

Blessings, all.