Please share your 'Thought of the Day'

“No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be the true.”
― Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter

That goes for women, too.

What a wonderful quote Tom. I read The Scarlet Letter at school, ages ago, but I had completely forgotten about this. Thanks for sharing it. 

What a wonderful quote Tom. I read The Scarlet Letter at school, ages ago, but I had completely forgotten about this. Thanks for sharing it. 

Wonderful poem Tom. Thinking about being autistic in this way is really illuminating. 

Just written this, off the cuff.

Masking

 You want me to be a dog, so I'll try.

I look quite like one, anyway -

I have four paws, a furry coat,

a set of whiskers.

I have a tail that wags - though

for different reasons.  Yours wags

when you're happy, mine when I'm

anxious.  I'll try to be happy when

I'm anxious, but it might not work.

I may suddenly turn, show my claws,

bite.  And that'll perturb you.

It sends mixed signals.

So now you know what it's like

to get mixed signals.

I try to be a dog, because that's

what you are, and what

you expect of me.

But I'm a cat.

Not a miserable excuse

for a dog.

Accept me for being a cat -

that's all I ask.

Until you do, don't expect me

to be a very good dog.

You go chase a ball.

I really can't be bothered.

Bits of string interest me more.

And sleeping.

And being alone,

curled up in the sun.

Away from you.

Because your bark and your bite

are equal in the damage they do.