During Barb Rentenbach’s presentation I learned so much about autism and the people who have autism. With help from Dr. Lois Prislovsky, her “smiley shrink,” Barb shared some her insights and some passages from her book I Might Be You and from the book she is in the process of writing.
Through her writings, Barb addresses the differences between people with autism and the people she refers to as “the normals.” The positive light she put on autism was surprising, eye-opening, and motivating. Barb explains how “normals” have distractions that hamper them from enjoying life. She explains how because she is autistic she takes the time to absorb every moment and experience. For example, she referenced feeling sound waves on her skin, noticing the droplets of condensation on a coke can, and feeling the follicle of hairs expand. I loved how she gave us the advice to slow down and really enjoy our lunch, something that we often rush through as “normals.” Barb advises to be in the world of the moment, focus on the now.
What surprised me most about Barb was her use of language. Some of the vocabulary she used was above my knowledge! Through support of typing, Barb produced beautifully written sentences. Before, Barb’s presentation I did not have much knowledge about autism, but throughout the presentation she continued to show me how autism did not hinder but strengthened her intelligence.
“Know your part. Be your part. Play your part with pride and conviction. Hold your head up and project your voice.” These words Barb wrote were inspiring. Through her presentation I not only learned about autism, but was reminded that everyone has a part to play in this world, including me. I thought I was coming to this presentation to learn about Barb, but I was not expecting to also learn about myself.
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