Potholders & Peacekeeping: An Aurtistic Tale

"Remember... who you ARE."

🎶 "It's the C i r c l e of Liiiiiiife!" 🎶

"You think I wanna come outta there lookin' like you? Cactus butt!?" 🌵🍑

"GET THESE FUCKING BITCHES OFF'A ME!!!"

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Autism is wild, y'all

Like Forrest's famous Box'a Chocolates: You never know what you gon' get.

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🎶 "It's the C i r c l e of Liiiiiiife!" 🎶

"Yo! Banana! You sound great. How many times you watched The Lion King today?"

"Twice."

"Ok cool. You wanna come outside with me and go for a walk?"

🎶 "Naaaaaaaah seewen-yaaaa whu-wha-wheetzeh-wuh-wah" 🎶

🎶 "Sitooooon... when-ya-uh-yeh (u-oh-uw-oh) when-ya-uh-nah" 🎶 "Two can play this game sista, let's go!"

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[one impromptu "Circle of Life" duet later]

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[Notices 3-ring notebook on Banana's lap with about 100 sheets of lined paper, currently on page 75-ish. Words written on page in pencil, font size ranging from 48-78.] "What are you working on while you watch?"

"I'm writing the script of The Lion King. And after I'm done with this, I'm writing the script of The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride."

"The movie just started. How are you writing script pages from the end?"

"I remember them."

"You remember all the lines?"

"Pretty much. Yea. Pretty much all of the lines."

"Why are you watching the movie again?"

"I like it."

"Cool. How's it comin? Is Uncle Scar dead yet?"

"No. King Mufasa is still alive."

"Is Uncle Scar gonna kill him you think?"

"Probably."

"Traitor."

"I know. I hate Uncle Scar. He's so mean."

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Autistic individuals have an almost super-human ability to focus on one thing - blocking out all else.

Because of this, they experience things so deeply -- even a movie they've watched 75 times before and twice already today -- it is as though they are experiencing it for the first time.

There may be a profound lesson about the nature of life seeded in the above-outlined phenomenon.

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"Can we pause for a sec, Bananz?"

"Ugh. Okay."

"Alright, so, after we're done with The Lion King, which would you rather do: Go for a walk with me outside? Or, Sweatin' To The Oldies with Richard Simmons?"

"Sweatin' To The Oldies with Richard Simmons."

"Why don't you want to go outside?"

"Stupid asshole MOSQUITOES!!!!"

"Ok, got it. Sweatin' To The Oldies with Richard Simmons it is. Do you want to go get dressed now or after The Lion King?"

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Remember back when we talked about how Autistic individuals have an almost super-human ability to focus on one thing - blocking out all else?

Because of this, they also experience annoyances extra-ordinarily deeply.

Ever been on a walk and the bugs seemed like they were swarming you to such an extent you could scarcely focus on the walk?

It takes one bug.

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The Next Day

"Hey Banana, did you see what Mom got you?"

"yea."

"Well, what do you think?"

"She said I could only watch The Lion King or The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride once today. I hate stupid Mom. She's so mean. She's just like Uncle Scar."

"These loops are cool. And look at all the colors Mom got. Have you tried making these potholders with these loops yet?"

"no. I hate stupid potholders."

"Do you know how they work?"

"no."

"Can you show me how to make one?"

"I don't know how to make one."

"Well, neither do I. You want to read the instructions so you can show me how to do it?"

"Sure."

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[14 potholders later...]

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"This one is for Mom, and Liv. Dad can have this one. This one is for Vin - it's messed up so Vin can have this one. I made the red white and blue one for America, so Mrs. Langel can have this one because she's American."

"Oh. Is she American?"

"Yea."

"Cool. Good call then with the red white and blue."

"Yea. She'll like it."

"Who else do you think we could make one for?"

"Well, Grandma will need one. And our other Grandma. Our second Grandma - you know, Dad's Mom?"

"Who?"

"Stop! You're just being silly. Like a big weirdo. Weird person. Brother. Like a weird brother you are."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"It isn't."

"What about Grandpa?"

"Well, I could make one for Mom's Dad - Papaw. But he's dead so we would have to put it on his grave because Grandma and Papaw got divorced and now Papaw is dead so we would have to put it on his grave."

"Right. What about our other Grandpa, Dad's Dad?"

"Well he's mean like Uncle Scar, and he smokes like a cigarette so I guess I could make him a brown one because brown is the color for Uncle Scar and he's mean like Uncle Scar."

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Autism is wild, y'all

It's a different OS than ours, but there is brilliance and genius there which 'able minds' do not have access to.

My youngest sister - now 28, and still (occasionally) watching The Lion King and The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride - has given me a lifelong gift so valuable... I fear I may never be able to repay her:

Perspective.

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The day my Mom brought potholders and crafting into our household when Banana was young (and we had no idea how to handle her), our home became more peaceful.

Art, expression through visual media, became (and remains) a constant outlet in Banana's life.

Sum total, Banana has made more than 1,000 potholders, double that in paintings and sketches. Several hundred beaded jewelry and clay pottery pieces. Now she has set her sights on quilting.

The photo at the top of this article is my personal collection of Banana's potholders, which she has gifted to me over the years, or which I have specifically requested.

The middle one in the top row -- the purple, white, and sky blue one -- is the one I specifically requested.

When I asked Banana to make me one, I asked for purple, white and royal blue.

She made it with sky blue because she thought it looked better.

💙