An epiphany I had while responding to comments here on the Kos about social interaction and the notion of Aspies as antisocial.
One thing I constantly hear about Aspies like myself is that we are antisocial. It bugs me, really. I mean, I definitely don’t thrive in social settings like bars, parties, or groups, but I don’t think I could survive without time with my family members and my few friends. And that’s where my point (I have one, I really do) comes in. Not only am I social, but thanks to this book I wrote, I am socially blessed. I wrote my book to tell my story and, yes, to hopefully earn extra money for my family. But in marketing it, I have gotten something SO much better than any amount of money. I have found community. There are Aspies everywhere. And people who know Aspies. And people who support Aspies. And even just nice people who comment on Tweets and blog or diary posts to say “nice to meet you” or “this is interesting”.
In reading comments and Tweets and Facebook posts and responding to various threads, posts, and comments, I have come to realize that I am the opposite of antisocial. That getting new feedback or input scratches some social itch deep inside of me that I didn’t really realize was there. I don’t know what it is like for other Aspies, only myself, but I am certainly a social creature deep in my soul, even if I can’t be overly social and prefer my interactions largely in the virtual world. So thanks to all of you who are reading my ramblings and sharing your insight, questions, and opinions. You are valuable to me. Some of you are people who simply make me smile, and some of you are friends I just haven’t met yet, but all of you have brought joy to my days lately and I am grateful.