“How do you pick up the threads of an old life? How do you go on, when in your heart you begin to understand… there is no going back? There are some things that time cannot mend. Some hurts that go too deep, that have taken hold.”
Frodo Baggins, Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.
One by one, the years of my life seemed destined for oblivion. Until my late 30s, autism was a word I had only heard of. My meandering path through life made no sense. My future remained uncertain, despite my health. I had attempted suicide once in the past. I had watched as my peers passed me by. One by one, I counted the days as I struggled to define who I was and why I was still here. Then one day, everything changed. That day was one year ago, but it was not my diagnosis.
For the first time, autism was no longer an obscure word but an influence so deep that it defined me. It is a neurological and developmental disorder so impactful that it shook me to my core. Almost four years after my unexpected diagnosis, I now know the truth. Now, I find myself embarking on an unexpected journey of self-discovery and compelling leadership. I know who I am. I know why I am here. But my future is far from set in stone.
Thanks to autistic art therapist and counselor Jackie Schuld, ATR-BC, LPC, I have been given the opportunity to share more of my story in a finely crafted interview. This interview will highlight the broad-reaching influence that my late diagnosis has had on my life. The years and experiences that have led to this moment will be as provocative as anything anyone has yet read about me.
But in all the eloquence of my writing, Frodo Baggins says it best. There is no going back. I thank you all for joining me as I share the uncharted steps that led me from obscurity to the wondrous minds of an entire people. To all of you. This is what it is like to be autistic. This is what it is like to be late-diagnosed.
Permanent interview link — Medium.com:
Celebrating Amazing Creativity, True Originality, and a Passion for Special Interests: Late-Identified Autism Interview.
Public Access interview link — Jackie Schuld Art Therapy Blog:
https://www.jackieschuld.com/post/amazing-creativity-true-originality-special-interests-late-identified-autism-interview
