Sensory Experiences: How My Autistic Daughter See the World

My daughter is autistic and she has sensory processing disorder. She experiences the world around her differently than most people. 

You see the beauty in the smallest things. 

Tiny flower petals, a speck of sand, a ray of sunlight shining through your fingers as it casts itself onto the wall in front of you. 

When we take a walk together you notice the trees, the wind on your face, and the way the sidewalk cracks and breaks into different colored pebble textures on the ground beneath your feet. 

Kinetic sand slipping through your hands, water splashing beneath your feet, and the tingle of the chapstick you carefully put on your lips every morning before school

The sound of hearing musical patterns vibrate in your ears as it travels to your brain, connecting you to feelings of reassurance and a calm existence. 

The smell of the lotion you put on after a shower, the makeup I put on my face, and the sweet smell of freshly washed sheets on laundry day. 

The texture and smell of an orange peel, the motion of the swings, and the flow of the many colored bubbles you love to blow into the wind. 

The touch of a good book, the sound of it being read to you, and the soft touch of the blanket as we snuggle up to read together.  

The sensation of a good squeeze on your arms, the pressure of compressions to your joints, and the touch of your cheek right next to mine. 

And finally, that warm, secure feeling you get from the many hugs you request as you are settling down after a busy day of noticing all the beautiful, wonderful, small things.

Thank you for opening my eyes to the wonder of your mind. You have taught me to slow down and breathe in the world around me.

You are, in a word, extraordinary.