Published Essays
Envision a Future in the Present
My son’s psych assessment started at 9:15 in the morning and lasted until 5:00 pm. Then, the psychiatrist looked at us and asked, “Have you heard of Asperger’s syndrome?”
Prepared to hear bipolar disorder, ADHD, ODD, or any diagnosis except autism, I felt lost. Thankfully, he spent the next hour explaining autism and offering guidance about what to do next.
After listening for a time, my son's Dad asked, “Will he go to college?” I was too stunned to think that far into the future. “I can only think about today,” I said. The doctor reassured me, “And that’s what you should do.”
I’ve thought about the different perspectives many times since that day. Future and present aren’t neatly separated when the diagnosis is autism. Read more.
