An Autistic Request to the Heavens: Could I Please Have the Right Thing to Say at the Right Time?
I’m sure every human has been there. You have a conversation and nothing you say comes out quite right. Hours later, you think of the perfect thing to say. It’s maddening.
While most humans experience this frustrating phenomenon on occasion, this happens to me ALL of the time. I hear my autistic clients voice the same concern.
I’m having a hard time articulating this. You know what — this exactly captures what I am talking about. It takes me time and sorting through my thoughts to articulate the points I am trying to make. I have to ramble a bit to get to what I am trying to say.
Trouble is, most people don’t have time and patience for a rambling in-person conversation. I also feel the pressure to keep up with a conversation.
When I’m around people that I’m not fully comfortable with (for example, some family members that I have tough relationships with), I often express myself in abysmal ways. I’m not as articulate, kind, thoughtful, or whatever else I want to be. I usually leave feeling misunderstood and disconnected. Afterward, I think, “Why did I say that? Why didn’t I just say…”
I struggle to be concise in a conversation. I struggle to be concise anywhere actually. I want to…
