Reachable goal?

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This is a quote from a fiction book a friend lent to me to read (the book itself has nothing to do with autism, so I'm not referencing the title here):
"Although he had used the word "cripple" in describing himself to the officer he'd just talked with, he realized that it was probably no longer true. Somehow, somewhere during the last summer, he had without realizing it crossed that line Quillian had told him about. He was no longer a cripple, but rather was simply a man who happened to have only one leg."

A man with one leg will always have to use crutches, and will every so often fall down when he's not careful and may need a helping hand to get back up.

I've seen other threads asking "Disability or Difference?" or something similar. Rather than ask to compare the two, because that answer will depend on an individual's state at that time, I wonder how many people see "being simply a person on the autism spectrum" as a reachable goal?

I wish I could prove how much admiration and respect I have come to develop for people with Autism since I have been here.

"being simply a person on the autism spectrum" is such a lofty goal. To me, it means accepting responsibility for your behavior, not using your diagnosis as an excuse for anything that is within your control and doing your best not to let what is not within your control to affect your goals, relationships and your self-esteem.

I have learned so much here. Whether or not I am on the spectrum makes no difference to how I should accept myself. In the end, we are all just people. We are no different than NT's or each other.... because we are alllll different!

Whether or not you see yourself as a cripple or differently abled all depend on how you choose to look at things. I find that people who choose to see themselves as differently abled usually have a more positive outlook on life.