The Fact of My Solitude

I have zero friends.

Well, not quite. My wife remains my best friend, perhaps out of the resultant force of things in my autistic life.

Otherwise, I have zero friends.

Friendship, perhaps a reification of what makes us human, often eludes those of us grappling with the complexities of being autistic and, also in my case, living with social anxiety disorder. Late-diagnosed with both at the age of 36, I continue to find myself on a journey marked by a tranquil solitude, a curious path influenced by the intricate dance of neurological…