The Real Literal Mind - Another Aspergers View

Today we had to follow a lot of street signs like this. Arrows that point up. My young aspie said, "Mom I do not understand this we cannot go up, it is not like we can fly up there." Her perception of the world is so very different. I must continually listen so I know what she is thinking. What she reasoned makes perfect sense the sign does point up. So I explained to her that they cannot make the arrow point appropriately because it is on a 2D surface. Only if they used 3D they could make it the right way. So on 2D this is how the direction go straight looks.

Yesterday I was trying to teach her to walk in a straight line on the sidewalk. She did not realize she needed to do this when following family. It was necessary because many people were coming and going. When she followed this straight line concept she kept going until she came to a wall. A door was to the right before the wall yet she was focused on keeping a straight line. We had to explain to her that she just needed to follow the parent. It is okay to turn when they turn. We had to draw a picture to demonstrate.

Then tonight she saw a commercial for the new remake for Footloose. She saw them dancing and asked, "Mom if her foot is loose how can she dance?" She was dead serious. Her mind thinks very literally.

It must be hard to live in a world that is so different. It may be like living in a foreign country. So many things do not make sense. I am listening and teaching. She learns so well and grows from those things. I am so very glad and thankful that she is so verbal. I am also so glad I am so attentive. God is giving us both insight and wisdom. I adore her. I take so much for granted. Most people learn these things naturally as you go. Some like my daughter don't. Before you are tempted to judge people because their view is different take some time to get to know them first. Their view of the world just may be different from you own.