But there's a growing sense that many aspies are, in fact, almost overly compassionate. It's just that they sometimes lack the right words or appropriate gestures to confidently relate their sense of feeling for someone else.
Case in point...
Today we were at the beach. NJ was riding some serious rip curls tearing down the eastern coast of South Florida. Afterwards, we showered at the beach showers and began toweling off. A lady walked up to the shower and attempted to turn it on using the metal button.
She couldn't get it to fire up. And the thing is kind of hard to operate. You really have to lean into this button for some reason.
NJ noticed this and immediately - without thinking about it - walked over and said: "I'll help."
She stood aside as this little six-year-old pushed the button and then held it on for her while she rinse the sand off!
"What a little gentleman," she said. Her friends seemed very amused, too, at the thoughtfulness of this little boy.
On our walk to the bus stop, NJ noticed a plastic grocery bag on the ground near the beach pavilion. He picked it up, without being prompted, and ran over to throw it in the trash. A friendly rogues gallery of Florida beach bums stood by watching, and all thanked him as he returned to me.
It seems that wherever he goes, he is dialed in - in his own way - to what's going on around him.
The key to me as a parent is to notice those connections and to encourage him to continue with them.
Part of making your way in society is finding your niche.
Being helpful, pitching in without being asked... that's a good niche.
Now, you can take that too far, of course!
You don't want a codependent little guy running around trying to save everyone.
But I see signs that NJ is brimming with compassion - and they're in his actions as much, or more, than in his words.
That's where they count, anyway.
Peace.
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