I think that one of the best feelings in the world is the feeling of being understood by someone else.

Sadly, being Autistic has meant that most people in my life have completely misunderstood me the vast majority of the time.

Every time I read something written by another Autistic person, I feel understood. Someone else knows, they get it. They’ve experienced almost exactly the same things I have in very similar, often eerily the same, ways.

It’s been such a rare feeling in my life that it can be utterly overwhelming, in a good way, to experience.

Feeling understood often brings me to (not unhappy) tears. I’ll have to stop reading or listening and just let that feeling of understanding wash over me.

It’s cleansing in a way. Washing away the countless misunderstandings that have plagued my life. Letting me know that I’m not wrong. I’m not mean. I’m not a terrible friend.

I’m just me. I’m Autistic and other people understand what that’s like. They know.

It’s healing for me to read the accounts of others like me. It’s healing to write about my experiences and hear from others who relate so deeply to them.

For so many years I had no idea what it felt like to be understood.

I’m having a difficult time putting this into words because it is absolutely enormous. Knowing that other people understand is an amazing thing ❤