Autism and Loving People

by Eileen Parker on February 20, 2012

Eileen Parker and Mother Linda

Mum and me bonding in San Francisco

“How do I love thee?  I don’t know how to show you the way.”  That sums up my experience of loving someone else.

I feel love, but hadn’t known how to express it, and in my earlier years, I didn’t know I was supposed to express it.  I also didn’t know what the signals were for someone loving me, including my mum.  Fortunately, she said, “I love you, sweetie,” so I know that she did.  I didn’t know to say it back.  But, Mum was a great role model for when I had children.

One thing my mother did a lot was hug and kiss me.  At times I could barely stand it because I was having one of my don’t touch me days, but over time, I learned that it wasn’t so bad…over a lot of time.

Given my experience, I asked my son one day, “How do you know I love you?”  He replied, “Because you said so.”  I gave him a big hug.

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