Autism doesn’t conform to the constructs of posing and props. It moves beyond societal rules. Non-verbal autism shows us that connection and understanding don’t need to fit into silly little boxes. Autism allows for true unfiltered magic to occur.
I accompanied my friend Hayley and her two autistic sons to the beach. It was a simple outing; simplicity often holds profound moments. As we walked along the path, Alex plucked a lone dandelion swaying in the breeze, turned to me, and locked eyes. He blew the seeds into the air, a cascade of delicate white parachutes spiralling upward and dancing away on the wind. His gaze, unspoken yet piercing, held a clarity that transcended words, unfiltered, raw.
The spoken word pales in comparison to the richness of what lies beneath the existence of a human being. Communication is far more than vocabulary and syntax. It lives in gestures, looks, shared experiences. My own son does not speak but he still manages to say more than I could ever dream.
Who needs words anyway, when dandelion seeds and silence soar beyond them?
