The Emotional Crutch

Hi - it is me Adi again, making an appearance on my Dad's blog. Lightning does strike twice, magic does repeat and Adi gets the power to write on his dad's blog once again ! 

Today I want to make a simple appeal but one that is very critical to me and people like me. Something that people nearest to us often forget as well. And so I write this as the representative of all special needs children who have communication challenges.

Unlike many of you, God did not give me the power to express my emotions properly through language. Words never come to me naturally.

 BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN I DO NOT HAVE EMOTION.

 I am dependent on you who understands me to be my crutch as it were and help me express it. I don't care about being politically correct and not use the word crutch - too many people use that excuse to forget that we are special and we need more help than typical. I am not ashamed to say it and not ashamed to ask for it.

For example - you know I love cake. And the whole idea of a birthday cake being cut, for me or my sister or my friend, is a source of great joy to me.
So when you take me to a birthday party, you who knows me the most, please do not keep me at arms length away from the proceedings ! I promise to behave if you remind me to, not blow out the candles before the birthday girl or boy does. But please keep me in the frame, keep me as part of the proceedings.


Because if I had the power to express my emotions, I would tell you to make way and let me stand right next to the chief guest and be a part of the frame . Take a look at my face and you will know what I want. And before you forget about me , take a look at my eyes. I am always being taught to control my negative expressions of emotion - so I swallow my protest yell, control my arms and look from afar with longing eyes as the candles are being blown out. 

And talking about birthday parties, I too love to have them. So get some of your and my friends for my party too. Don't shy away from it since it is a difficult social situation and because you think I will not enjoy it. The first step towards treating me as one of you is to equalize the social scene for me as much as possible.

When we go for a social gathering, take me to your friends and introduce them to me. I will protest after a while but encourage me to shake their hands and say Hi. Social behavior is difficult for me, but loneliness is terrifying !


So - don't forget me. Throughout my life, I am being conditioned to suppress base instinct and adopt social norms of behavior and I understand that. But I need you to get into my mind and understand my emotions and help me express them successfully.

To me, you cannot say tomorrow - my name is TODAY . I need that crutch now.