I Must Be Honest---A Confession From Glider18

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19 years of hell is hardly a confession. no need to feel any guilt? over fortune falling your way after all its not something you can control.

Your story just shows that it's possible to make it for someone on the spectrum without having to suffer while trying to conform to the irrational expectations of the majority. It's really unfair how we're often forced to change something about our behaviour and suffer great stress & anxiety from it, while the majority can be happy just being who they are. My mom hates my stimming, but I need to stim in public places because everything about the unpredictability of it makes me build up nervous energy, and stimming is my outlet. My parents don't understand that if I were to have to fulfill all that's expected at my age, I need to use coping strategies to enable myself to perform to my full potential. Ugh! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO DRILL IT INTO THEIR HEADS?

Just like for you, WrongPlanet has provided me with a crucial emotional outlet. I am thankful that there is a group of people out there who can understand just what I'm going through. When I can't get moral support in my family, I need to seek it somewhere else. That's why I rant so much on here, but it's my only place to do so where I can actually expect people to reply and to thus help me get through the most emotionally troubling times.

Where you have gotten to is not luck. It's your perseverance and effort. I really enjoy your positive attitude and outlook in life, and it's most important for you not to lose it. People appreciate and even admire those who are positive and self-confident.

All of your replies have meant a lot to me. All I can say is thank you to each one of you. I have read each post and I appreciate each one of them.

Good on you Glider........as for life, there is always some dark to complement the light.

My Dad always says to me "Don't let the bastards get you down".

A strange thing to say, but quite poignant over various times in my life.

Take good care,

Mics

Gliding Light topic

Good to see you posting again,

and Aut-Optimism is always welcome--no need to feel any guilt or burden.

Autism is indeed a Wonderful World.

And don't forget, some of those monkeys are CANNIBALS!

Thank you AnAutisticMind for reading my confession post. That means a lot to me. And your tag line is indeed true---I never quite looked at that in that way---but it makes great sense. Thank you.

i canappreciate your story. i was a teacher on first nations reserves for 4 years (and spent a fifth year on a hutterite colony. the colony eventually did me in, but the stories i could tell about the reserve (B&E by a drug addict while i was in the house alone with my daughter and the phone lines were cut and there was no cell phone service... 5-year-old child killed by packs of dogs... lockdown at the school while the tribal government was overthrown... sworn at daily, plus students who threatened violence / punched holes in the wall / threw things at me... parent who threatened to kill me... ).

but i managed, and though my health started to suffer eventually it was important to me to persevere because i was with the kids who needed me the most. but really, it was the hutterite colony (they are anabaptists like mennonites or amish, kind of), with all the socializing and extreme conformity, that killed my love of teaching.

Hi Glider, I really enjoyed reading more of your story. You attribute much of your success to luck, but I think you deserve most of the credit. You earned bachelor's and master's degrees through hard work and persistence. You kept your regular teaching job for 19 years through hard work and persistence, even in the face of extreme adversity. And you earned the position as a teacher of gifted children, which is a tremendous accomplishment. Yeah, luck counts. But I think that you earned the hard way every bit of success you have achieved. I would also like to point out that you set a great example for young people, including every one of your students, who struggle with challenges as we all do. You are the reason I am a member here...so I can show my son that no matter what adversity he faces, there are many paths forward to a successful life if one is willing to work hard and be persistent. Thank you for sharing

i'd also like to say i agree with your optimism. it can take a person very, very far... when push comes to shove, you need to keep yourself afloat.

personally, i think if i let others get me angry and bitter about life and circumstances, i am allowing other people to govern my mood and experiences. i decide for myself how i am going to feel, and i think it allows me to be content and happier.

I have been deeply moved by your comments tonight.

Thank you Hyperlexian for your great support of my confession. Wow!! ! Your teaching experiences were incredible. I doubt seriously I could have lasted there as long as you did. Those were indeed serious situations.

DenvrDave---I don't know what to say except "thank you." I never realized I have had such an impact---it is difficult for me to acknowledge compliments (my therapist worked with me on this). But I want to acknowledge yours. I am so moved by you saying that I am the reason you are a member here so that your son can see the many paths to a successful life in the face of adversity. That's a compliment I will never forget. I wish your son all the successes that life has to offer him. You seem like a caring parent, and I am sure your son is lucky to have you. Again, thank you.