Autism Speaks: Meeting Neighbors in Your Community

 


Our community is made up of all types of people. Different backgrounds and different abilities.

David Burton did an interview with KSMU public radio on Oct. 5, 2022 advocating for meeting and engaging with our neighbors. A few days later who get this wonderful email.

The names have been changed by request of the author. This is what they wrote:

"In 2012 we moved from south Springfield to the Willard school district in northern Springfield.  We didn’t have any visible neighbors, but my son JR who is on the autism spectrum was insistent that we meet the neighbors.  So, reluctantly, I made a plan.  On Sunday afternoons that fall we would walk to one or two neighbors and introduce ourselves, just JR and myself.  I wore my Autism Speaks Walk t-shirt trusting that the non-verbal communication would help.

"One of the first houses we went to had a lot of items in its yard.  JR commented on their “messy” yard and I pleaded with him not to say anything about the yard when we spoke to the home owner.  I was silently praying no one would be home.  When the lady of the house answered the door, I told her who we were and why we had knocked on her door.  When the pause came, JR said, “You have a messy yard.”  She laughed and said something about working on cleaning it up.  JR soon walked away, bored with the conversation, and I had my opportunity to apologize.  She was an autism grandmother!  She saw the t-shirt and she knew.  No explanation needed.

"The irony that my autistic son encouraged me to be social is not lost on me, but I’m glad he did."


 MORE INFORMATION

Does this article make you interested in taking the Engaged Neighbor pledge? Five categories and 20 principles to guide you toward becoming an engaged neighbor. Sign the pledge online at http://engagedneighbor.com.

Contact the blog author, David L. Burton at dburton541@yahoo.com.

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