Genuine Friendships- A Key To Life

Sometimes I wonder and some other people wonder how autistic people can have as many friends as I do. It's because I'm nice and share things that other people should hear and I am, for the most part, a genuine human doing. I don't always have the best words to say or the most kind, but usually I do and when I don't there is a bit of humor and sarcasm to them and it's usually with good friends when that happens. Good friends are truly hard to come by unless you are social and genuine friends even harder. Friends that will always back you up no matter what and help you out in any way that they can. Friends that will be your friend no matter what the past or present with them is and what they have in store for the future. Friends that are truly gold and truly great role models. Friends that are genuine and have the best interest and help and understand you. Those genuine friends are heroes and they are truly a key to life and friendships that are to be treasured. I'm glad that I have plenty of friends in my life despite my autism, but it hasn't always been that way. I used to be shy as a wilting dandelion and as cautious as a tip-toeing individual on ice. I was afraid of being burned. Burned by the church, burned by friends, and burned by family. This is still happening at times, but I am able to put it as a personal problem for the individual, rather than a system problem. The majority of my friends are genuine enough not to be like this. I am lucky to have enough close friends to have an army of supporters and enough genuine close friends to have my back in any situation and show love for me, in fact, I'm glad that I'm who I am. Autistic or not, I have evolved in a great comeback sort of way and have touched many lives. Many genuine friends have been made and many more will be made over the course of my lifetime. Sure, I have been burned in friendships and relationships, but there is a resillent, baggage-filled, formerly embattled individual underneath all of this burning that only comes out to the individuals who are closest. I can tell a select few people anything, and I would want it that way- but I do have plenty of genuine friends I can tell a lot to. And that makes my heart happy. Stay tuned for a blog to come either next week or after my first test: self-advocating for who I am and why this is important.