My dearest friend,
What can I say? You are an incredible woman, and I'm forever grateful for my friendship with you. However, this letter is about what you have done these past few years for me that has stood out tremendously: you have accepted me unconditionally despite my autism spectrum disorder, and for that, I want to thank you.
Do you remember when I told you about my diagnoses a few years ago? I simply texted it to you, but you called me right away to talk. You encouraged me and helped me feel better. You promised to support me, and that you wouldn't think of me differently with this new knowledge.
One of the cons of ASD is the struggle with communication. I don't do well when it comes to initiating and maintaining conversation. This means I may not start a line of text messages most of the time, or I'll just have a hard time keeping the chat alive, and I'll depend on the person on the other end to do the job. I've apologized many times for this and am slowly, but surely, getting better at it.
Being the awesome human being you are, you don't hold this against me. I remember you telling me you don't mind initiating contact most of the time because you know it's difficult for me. You also told me our friendship means so much to you that you don't care who starts a conversation first. I cannot even tell you have much that meant to me, especially since there have been people that have not been as understanding.
Another big setback for a person with ASD is socializing. Some of us can develop social anxiety and have trouble reading social cues and/or body language, which is incredibly frustrating. In my case, socializing isn't difficult, but it can make me anxious and exhausted. I've shared this with you before, and you've listened non-judgmentally. When we go to semi-large gatherings, there are times when I need to walk away or stop talking for a bit, and you were there to make sure I was OK. When we hang out, it's usually just the two of us, watching Netflix and stuffing our faces with junk food. You haven't complained once.
Lastly, there are a few things I can't do (or don't like) that most people don't mind. For example, I have driving anxiety, and you offer to drive us places when I'm not comfortable. I also have sensory issues (I can't stand certain sounds or textures), and you understand this, too.Don't get me wrong; there are several other characteristics that come with ASD, and these characteristics vary from person to person. I sometimes feel like my ASD gets in the way of having a typical friendship, but I still wouldn't trade it for the world.
Again, thank you for being my friend and for accepting me just the way I am. You mean the world to me, buddy.
Love,
Me
