Tag Archives: book-review

A review: Autism what does it mean to me? by Catherine Faherty

Uncategorized, , ,

Once I asked Goldie, “What is autism?” To this day, I haven’t had a real answer from her. She’s lived with autism for nearly 18 years now, and today the word is still a mystery. Some of her friends have shared that it is their superpower. Some of them remember their diagnosis day and celebrate it like a wedding anniversary or a birthday. This only makes the mystery of autism seem more mysterious.

Before Goldi started high school, this big thick book was set in front of me.

“Have you ever read this book?” her teacher asked me.

“I’ve never seen it before. Is it good?” I said predicting that the answer would be a nod or a it’s pretty good.

“It’s a must read.” the teacher said.

I had read other must reads. But was skeptical that this workbook like book was a must. I preferred a testimony, a nice feel good story, or a book that was turned into a movie it was so good.

The book has twelve chapters and 479 pages. It is a textbook. It has workbook like features including blanks for various responses about autism, friendships, routines, communication, people, and other life topics. There are social stories, strategies, examples, and a wealth of information.

In the introduction, Goldi immediately circled among the list of other questions:

What does autism mean? She recorded a few facts about her, validating what was absolutely true about herself BESIDES having autism. The concept of identify first at the start is presented sensitively. The words a simple, descriptive, and invite the autistic person to freely choose how they would describe themselves knowing they have autism. Goldie started with “I am Goldie”.

Throughout the book, Goldie discovered more of who she was. What was especially surprising, is not that she is now able to define autism but instead she was able to understand who she was and how to better walk with courage on this journey being Goldie.

It has become a book on hand for relearning, equipping, and most of all celebrating what Goldie has known all along… “I am Goldie. ”

The biggest 100

Uncategorized, , , ,

Last year, during Christmas, Goldie met a girl named Wanda. She so poor she only had one dress. But Wanda said she had 100 dresses. The girls laughed at her as they stared at her plain blue dress that she wore everyday to school. One girl had a nice red velvet one. Another girl had a silky green one. Day after day, Wanda would tell them she had 100 dresses. The girls would laugh at her.

“I do too!” Wanda declared.

“I don’t even have 100 dresses!” said a rich girl.

Then one day at school, Wanda’s desk chair was empty. The teacher found a large envelope with a note attached.

“She’s moved away. ” the teacher shared, “Wanda, has moved to the city. Her mother says she won’t be teased there.”

All the girls watched as the teacher opened up the envelope and passed out a picture to each girl.

“It’s my silky green dress!” cried one and I am wearing it!”

“I am wearing my red velvet one! It looks just like me!”

The girls realize, Wanda really did have 100 dresses. She really did line them all up in the closet. She thought not only of the dress but of the girl who wore it. She noticed them all and took care to remember.She had called them friend.

Goldie remembers Wanda. She feels sorry that Wanda was laughed at. She feels even more sorry that she only had one dress and not 100. Then she goes into her room and closes the door. All is quiet for hours. I know that she is in there because I can see a little bit of her shadow in the space between the door and the floor.

Why does Wanda touch Goldie’s heart and mine? This storybook character has lived in many girls’ lives but maybe only for a short time. They have lots of friends. They don’t have to WORK to get friends. They just win them over naturally. They come and they go and then they make new friends. Wanda and Goldie think the same when it comes to friends.

When Goldie is away, I sneak into her room. There are stacks of sketch books underneath her drawing table. I pick up the one on the top. Goldie will know I was here if I put the book back in the wrong place. I carefully turn the pages-

The first girl smiles at me:

Ada. Goldie has written at the top. Some girls wear too short of a dress in my opinion. But Goldie knows Ada and she sees “pretty”.

Then I see another: Eva

Eva is wearing her party ballet dress. Goldie has seen her doing ballet many times. Goldie can’t fly across the stage without falling over. But Eva can and Goldie watches with wonder.

And another: Maralisa. She is all smiles all the time. She has her own fun and funny dress to wear each day depending on her heart beat.

The book pages are wrinkled, worn, and full of dresses and friends who wore them.

There are more than a 100. The next book in the pile are full of still more. Surely if I spent the day counting there would be more than a 1000 dresses and the girls who wore them. These girls have been seen by Goldie and remembered. Friends with them or not.

Goldie has at least 100 dresses, all in a book. She will always have them and remember the girls who wore them. Just like Wanda. Only Goldie is still drawing dresses and the girls who wore them. Friend or not.