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How to enjoy Christmas

Taki London

I enjoy Christmas, this is how.  I was diagnosed at university, aged 30. This explained my previous difficulties, but I needed to bury it. I graduated in life sciences but went into IT. A not very happy career, and Christmases were painful – why can’t I join in and be happy. I felt isolated. I was in my late 60s, tired, and I decided to come clean. I announced to the nice people I meet daily in the doggy park “I have autism”.  It seemed that everybody suspected that, but nobody cared. Probably for the first time in my life I felt free and relaxed.

I decided that there are two main sub-species of people. Homo sapiens neurotypical (NT) and H.sapiens neurodiverse (people like us). I decided to study the behaviour patterns of NT like other biologist study the fascinating behaviour of dung beetles (Scarabaeoidea).

Christmas is a good time to study NT. I go to department stores and watch NT frantically buying presents. I try to work out how do they know what the intended receipt might want. I see what presents they buy and try to work out what the recipient might look like.  Next to the restaurant areas where I can observe NT enjoying their parties. How do they know what to say and when to chuckle?

At home I conform. I put out my Christmas cards – I have been collecting them for years, and I usually get a new on each year from my accountant. I don’t have a TV and I can relax in the quiet with food and wine. I think of poor old NT having to worry about Last Posting Dates and receiving visitors. I feel I am so lucky.

 

How about you?

  • Human's can be really fascinating, I always enjoy looking at what the people stood in front of me in the check-out queue are buying and what it says about them, lots of fresh ingredients= someone who cooks, lots of ready meals for one, someone single and can't be bothered cooking for one. I wonder if anyone would guess that I'm time rich and cash poor from my shopping trolley? I go to several supermarkets for value for money and to get what I like.

    If the weathers good I might spend some time in the garden, or going for a good walk, whatever the weather I will have a good pile of books to keep me company.

  • in reply to Taki London

    Thank you for your reply.

    I am so sorry re your companion.

    They stay with us forever in our hearts.

  • in reply to Debbie

    Hi Debbie

    Thank you for your reply.  It has been at the back of my mind whether I should have come out earlier.  Certainly for the job situation, I needed to keep my diagnosis buried.  I was in a competitive job market as a freelance IT analyst where autism would be associated with mental disorder therefore render me unemployable. Things are different now. But I do think I should have been more truthful to myself. I could have just brushed off the negative comments from my colleagues.

    Winter is not a time for photographing insects. But the fractal patterns of hoar frost is interesting. And spring is coming..

    Unfortunately this would be my first Christmas in 14 years I will be without my canine companion. But it will have to be as usual, I can't let him down.

    Best wishes to you.

  • Thank you Taki.

    I hope that you take some of your lovely insect photos whilst in the park observing the other sub species of human.

    Your story is interesting, especially that it took you several decades to 'come out'.

    Do you wish now that you hadn't 'buried' your autism diagnosis?

    Would you 'coming out' re your autism (perhaps to yourself also?) have made you happier do you think, or changed the trajectory of your life in any way?

    I wish you what sounds like a very contented Christmas.

    I will be spending Christmas day with one human and one feline.

    Christmas tree