Do You Like/Love Being Autistic?

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Nah. I don't really get anything good out of it. I'm not particularly smart or good at anything, no hidden talents or anything like that. Everything I've done academic-wise has been difficult to learn in the first place and I just scrape by.

Sensory overloads happen somewhat frequently and I sure could do without that. I could also do without my lack of social graces with family and fellow students/teachers.

I like being able to be happy with solitude, which it seems like is a struggle for NT's. I like being able to hyper-focus on things that are important and not have to be constantly caught up in stupid petty NT nonsense. I like being able to make decisions based on reason.

I don't like having to experiences the world as an excruciatingly loud place where I'm constantly having to avoid stimuli. It would be nice to be able to go to a store without feeling like I need to run out before I can get what I need because the store is so overwhelming.

I like to be myself. Welcome to WP!

I did not know I was "in the spectrum" until after age 45. Prior to the diagnosis, I hated myself and everything I was experiencing in life, nothing made sense and I never felt like I had any place on this planet. Now that I have a grip on this Autism thingy, I feel a lot more like I can just be myself. That there are so many more aware people out there makes it a lot nicer to do that. I wish I knew my diagnosis decades ago, I would have been able to keep my mouth disciplined like I can now, I would have an appreciation for my quirks rather than a terror of them, and I think I would have navigated relationships better (if I had the therapists I now have back then when I needed a universe translator!). The love I have for my situation is a big one - it takes a huge heart to love this situation. My heart had to grow to be able to love this, but once I could, I did, and now I'm loving life even if there are some hard knocks still. Things make sense through my new lenses of awareness a lot more easily and things that still don't make sense to me actually shouldn't make sense to anyone, so I have a different sort of confidence. I can explain that more if necessary, maybe people will know what I mean when I say that. There is a certain flat rationality I have learned to appreciate about my autism - I see things sometimes very clearly when others do not. I like that. Wouldn't trade it in for easy popularity or being able to blend in with others who I just can't relate to the way I am!

YES, my Aspergers is very high functioning, I've more abilities that deficites.
Though I've had a very difficult life, and it's still very hard for me (but with persiverance hopefully that will change soon)

I do understand how ASD may be a severe disability for others though.

Being both an Aspie and a chemist by training, I'll let the good doctor Becher speak for me:

Yes! I am thrilled to be who I am. Yes, there are challenges and yes, there have been very difficult times. But my life has been a great experience overall. And like others have said, I realize others have had a much more difficult time then I and I certainly understand that point of view too.

That was super sweet, it warms my heart that someone can relate