ADA Experience
ADA assignment:
You have Autism and hate the color red. For an entire day
you will not eat anything red. You also will not talk or interact with anyone
wearing red. If you encounter someone wearing red you need to turn your head or
not talk back.
Being Autistic for a day, with aversion to red, was quite
interesting, for many reasons. 1) Red is my best color and I did not realize
how much red I had in my life (like my car), so avoiding my car, as a single,
working mom, was quite an adventure. 2) Because
I grew up on my own, with limited socialization, every once and awhile, I do
something odd and seeming out of character, and I am occasionally mistaken for
being autistic (after taking the Autism class, I would almost swear that my daughter
Leta has visual Autism, though). 3) We
live off of spaghetti, salsa, and tomatoes (luckily, I was out).
First, the car: I
figured that I would pick a day that I drive it the least. I did not have my kids that weekend, and I
figured, if I saw someone wearing red, I would only have it reflect upon me,
personally. (I do billing for a local
Dr. and could not guarantee, that one of the patient’s I needed to talk to
would not come in wearing red). I go to
the temple, on those weekends (which was the only time I drove the car and walking
from the Drigg’s Hwy 33 in winter, was not an option). I learned, however, over time, that the Lord
has ways of helping us to overcome our prejudices or “aversions”, if we choose
to follow him. I’m not saying or
suggesting that this is a “cure” for Autism- I am merely stating that in
following the Lord, “He will have a humble people” (Pres. Benson, “Beware of Pride”,
April 1989) and as He guides us, we naturally overcome “aversions” or other
prejudices which keep us from being with
or liking other of Heavenly Father’s children, as we learn to love
them. For example, during this exercise-
while driving, I thought of times I have felt an aversion towards a certain
type of car (color doesn’t matter much to me), but since I drive a red car, I felt that it was appropriate
to reflect on. In short, there have been
3 times in my life where I felt an “aversion” to a car. Each time, the Lord had me love someone,
before I interacted with the prejudiced car, which made me feel the loneliness,
regret, and even-shame for my feelings of pride (“that I was better than that –riding
in or owing that car- or even them”).
Second, I know what it feels like to feel “odd”, “out-of-place”,
or have family/friends embarrassed by my actions, which can cause some socially
awkward situations. I thought of this,
especially while going to the temple, because I would not want anyone
there to feel uncomfortable, awkward or an aversion from me. I had a prayer in my heart, and it was
answered. I am so grateful for the both
the experience and the ability to appreciate the sincere friendships I have and
the chance to repent and change. That no
one should be alone or feel isolated, even because of their own feelings. There are many that feel either helpless or
hopeless (I think of Paul and his “...thorn in the flesh” (2 Corr. 12:7-8)),
and we can help to give them hope, instruction, direction, and they can
overcome, through knowing the Savior, His love, and applying His atonement. The irony is that what we feel is our comfort
zone, or our biases can actually be ways in which we shut people out of our
lives.
Third, I was grateful, to be low on food, made the food
aversion easier, and very appreciative for the food we have.
This was an interesting exercise, which reminded me of some
wonderful experiences in early young-adulthood.
I think this exercise can be very insightful for the class, as they are
in that developmental stage.
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