For the first Beyond Ordinary Blog Carnival at 5 Minutes for Special Needs, I am pulling out something from my archives. This was originally published on March 24, 2008.
LIFE is the Puzzle
Since entering the world of autism spectrum disorders in December 2004, I have often heard autism referred to as a puzzle, and I have spent the last three-plus years trying to put that puzzle together. Every therapy, every service, every strategy and every treatment has added something to the picture, but instead of getting closer to finishing it, I find myself farther away.
The reality is that, for each of us, LIFE is the puzzle, and it is made up of many pieces–our jobs, our families, our friends and our enemies, our hobbies, our passions, our strengths and our weaknesses, our past and our future, our calling and our mission.
And so I find myself slowly coming to the place where autism no longer defines the size and shape of the final design, but instead is just another piece of the puzzle.
I'm a mom with Asperger's raising an amazing son with autism, which means I'm basically the case manager/advocate/cheerleader/chauffeur. The rest of the time, you can usually find me with my nose in a book!
{ 28 comments… read them below or add one }
Yes–all children are puzzles–sometimes I get so tired of the labels.
Yes–all children are puzzles–sometimes I get so tired of the labels.
Yes. Life is the puzzle.
I’ve been mulling on casting the “puzzle” metaphor in terms of “mosaic” lately. There’s no single right way to put a mosaic together… it’s just that sometimes we have trouble seeing the patterns emerging, whether in ourselves or our kiddos…
Yes. Life is the puzzle.
I’ve been mulling on casting the “puzzle” metaphor in terms of “mosaic” lately. There’s no single right way to put a mosaic together… it’s just that sometimes we have trouble seeing the patterns emerging, whether in ourselves or our kiddos…
Well said!
Well said!
I was going to say the exact same thing as Flutter Bug… WELL SAID!
Thanks for sharing!
I was going to say the exact same thing as Flutter Bug… WELL SAID!
Thanks for sharing!
I agree. What a wonderful post, I need to remember Myah’s struggles are only a piece of this bigger “puzzle.” Thanks for the great reminder!
I agree. What a wonderful post, I need to remember Myah’s struggles are only a piece of this bigger “puzzle.” Thanks for the great reminder!
This is such a great piece of insight, Trish — it’s so easy to get caught up in the details and lose sight of the bigger picture. This is a wonderful reminder and so eloquently said!
~Michelle @ 5MFSN
This is such a great piece of insight, Trish — it’s so easy to get caught up in the details and lose sight of the bigger picture. This is a wonderful reminder and so eloquently said!
~Michelle @ 5MFSN
So true! Great post!
So true! Great post!
I love it!!
I love it!!
How true!
How true!
I love, love, love this post and your blog. You’ve been awarded a “Brilliante Weblog” award at 4 Frogs. Come by and pick it up!
I love, love, love this post and your blog. You’ve been awarded a “Brilliante Weblog” award at 4 Frogs. Come by and pick it up!
Sounds like that’s a good place to be – it’s how I view my dyspraxia too.
The Broken Man
http://theblogofabrokenman.blogspot.com/
Sounds like that’s a good place to be – it’s how I view my dyspraxia too.
The Broken Man
http://theblogofabrokenman.blogspot.com/
Wow! That’s all I can say. What a beautiful way of explaining and describing your journey.
Wow! That’s all I can say. What a beautiful way of explaining and describing your journey.
Well said, I have read this post on your blog before but it is just as good reading it again! Great perspective.
Well said, I have read this post on your blog before but it is just as good reading it again! Great perspective.
Fantastic post!!!!
Fantastic post!!!!