Two Worlds, One Mind

My name is Susie, and I have written this book to open hearts and minds into my world of Asperger’s syndrome, a condition that falls in the autistic spectrum. It is my belief that the stories may prevent others who have Asperger’s from being put into very vulnerable situations. Perhaps, if you know someone who has this disability, you can support them with positive daily safety nets.



This condition has been marked as a deficiency in social skills, transitions (or changes), and the insistence for sameness. We are literal, visual thinkers and, at times, are viewed as naïve, odd, socially clumsy, or eccentric, leading to teasing or bullying. We can have obsessive routines and may be preoccupied with a particular subject, idea, person, or activity.



As an Asperger’s individual, I have a difficult time reading nonverbal cues (body language) or understanding the intentions of others, as well as an inability to process abstract thinking. Throughout my stories, you will see how comments and actions from others will spin my thoughts into a repeating frenzy until a trusted person can give a simple step or concrete direction of guidance to prevent floods of my anxiety from surfacing out of control. My rote memory has also been a tremendous benefit because this provides a mechanical, visual, hands-on way of doing something without thought.



My stories will take you on a journey into my world of music and play. For me, these “stuck-in-time” rituals are calming and necessary for my survival. And if there are no threatening elements close by, then my sensitivities to sounds, sights, and touch are reduced, allowing me to have a much more natural, spontaneous, and emotional relationship with others.



My story, to say the least, is about living in two worlds with one mind: the world of living with the affliction of Asperger’s syndrome, and surviving in the real world where one does not experience life the same way.



It is my hope that, as the reader, you can connect the dots or make a solid connection into my life with Asperger’s.