THE QUEST FOR NORMALITY
                       
        We spend a good deal of our time searching for some way to make our
kids closer to what society considers normal. Behaviors should look
normal. Speech should sound normal. Perceptions should be normal. Well,
what good is normal anyway? It is a mathematical construct. It is
usually two or three standard deviations of whatever is being measured.
But what good is normal? By definition, it cannot be superior. It cannot
be spectacularly creative. It cannot have a startingly fresh point of
view. These things are outside of normal range. If you look through
history, our great artists, thinkers and leaders were not what would be
considered normal. A prodigy cannot be normal, nor can a genius. So why
covet normality? Can't we find a better goal?
        How about being medically healthy and free from pain? How about
having
feelings of self-worth and belonging? How about being at peace with the
person one is? How about knowing that one is doing one's very best with
whatever skills and talents one has? How about happiness? What about
love?
        With or without a cure for autism, our children can have meaningful
and
productive lives. Working together, we all can make it happen.
                        Written by Sally Ramsey ASA President 1993