Imagine. Just imagine. Imagine you are someone else.
Imagine being in a minority. Imagine being a minority within that minority. Imagine having no group. Imagine what it is like to have no place within your group.
Imagine being different. Imagine you are the ugly duckling. Imagine being different enough to disappear in plain sight. Imagine being different enough to draw the eye of the room.
Imagine being normal. Imagine being nothing special. Imagine thinking you are different from everyone. Imagine finding out how similar you are to someone.
Imagine being oblivious. Imagine discovering how blindsided you are. Imagine how bleakly trapped you are in your own skull. Imagine your own world, your own story, being the only thing that mattered.
Imagine being a high-functioning person on the spectrum. Imagine existing between two realms, with neither ignorance nor normalcy as your solace. Imagine what it is like to function in that crevice. Imagine what it is like to live in that crevice.
Imagine the increased number of operations you will have to run. Imagine the training it will take to master. Imagine the mistakes you will make. Imagine the forgiveness you will be given.
Imagine your expectations. Imagine the expectations of you. Imagine having no grounds to complain. Imagine being too functional to accommodate.
Imagine the standards you will be held to. Imagine the people you will be compared to. Imagine their face when they find out. Imagine their behaviors once they find out.
Imagine how talented you may be. Imagine the grand ambitions you will hold. Imagine tossing those aside. Imagine thinking it is not possible.
Imagine the stress. Imagine the sleepless nights. Imagine being misjudged for simple depression. Imagine discovering the low average life expectancy of your peers.
Imagine how easy it is to hide. Imagine how difficult it is to contain. Imagine being the quietest talker. Imagine having the loudest mind.
Imagine this uphill battle. Imagine how it will shape your character. Imagine how grateful you are for this adversity. Imagine how it will be the best thing to ever happen to you.
Imagine the resilience you build. Imagine the perseverance you will have. Imagine the patience it takes. Imagine the physical sacrifice it will take.
Imagine. Just imagine. For a moment. You are not you.
You are someone else. Anyone else. Anyone but you.
The person in front of you. The person marching towards you. The person you are marching towards.
The person next to you. The person holding you. The person you are holding.
The person on the news. The person on your screen. The label on your screen.
No matter how much you believe in them. No matter how much you despise them. Their joys are yours. Their struggles are yours.
Think of them. All of them. Think of what they could be.
Just, stop. Observe. Listen.
Listen to what they say. Listen to how they act. Observe how they act. Observe how they react.
And think. Think long. Think hard.
Reflect. Reason. Empathize.
Imagine. Just imagine. If every single person had the patience to imagine. How much better humanity would be.
Beautiful. Thank you for that. ❤️