What does your Aspergers/autism mean to YOU?

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Here is what my Aspergers/autism means to me.

It means not caring what people think of me, but caring how people feel.

It means not caring how I appear superficially, but caring about how I actually am underneath.

It means not always expressing my words correctly, but holding truth in high regard and abhorring lies.

It means not being able to predict and avoid hurting somebody, but always being sorry when I find out I have.

It means getting trampled over by larger animals, but not standing by when I see an even smaller animal getting trampled.

To be continued, as I think of more...

I don't have anything else to really compare it to.

You can answer in absolute rather than relative or comparative terms if you like. Surely your autism must mean something to you, as part of your personal identity? Otherwise, why are you on a forum for autistic people in the first place?

My autism means I'm forever on the outside looking in.
My autism means I will never be like Joe blow down the block.
My autism means never having to say I'm sorry because I have nothing to feel sorry about.
My autism means I'm not going to get married or have kids or a mortgage any time soon.
My autism means I won't be there at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade or watching the Blue Angels flying high in the sky.
My autism means I'll be on medication, for whatever reasons, forever.

It means always misunderstood.

Always misunderstanding.

Always alone.

Alone is home.

Problems are my furniture.

Projects are my walls.

Door doesn't open from the outside.

Used to think I was insane.

Now I know everyone else is.

I dance for no reason.

I suffer for no reason.

I will survive all of it.

it means im me.
Its made me more outgoing of other people... because thats socially acceptable...
Its made people more outgoing of me...
Its made me realise i need to open up to the world, if i want to get anywhere in life, i need to put a few cents effort in too.
Its helped me become creative. Its helped me "focus." Its helped me connect with other people like myself.
Its helped me a lot. -its hindered me a lot too....

It helps me stay positive when theres only bad... cause ya know it could be worse...
Aspergers has given me a lot of learning material within myself and around me and i am still learning how to become a better Aspie, im im me =) proud to be aspie =)

It means penguins are eating pancakes at the speed of light while tourists watch through the glass. Some take pictures and some laugh and some are amazed and interested while some take another glance at their agenda and some wish for the penguins to stop eating pancakes at the speed of light or eat pancakes but not at the speed of light.

Sorry. I love food metaphors.

I also love things that don't make sense.

Excellent!

It means things don't always have to make sense but that's okay.

What does my autism mean to me?

For me, my autism means forever being a cognitive and emotional hybrid of old lady, young adult, and child. It means having friends but never knowing if they're just with me because they pity me. It means feeling frustrated and confused by the simplest day to day tasks despite being quite smart in other areas. It means not being able to go outside without experiencing pain and confusion because of my sensory issues. It means being caught between situations where I can express myself and end up not being taken seriously because people think the ability to talk means I'm fine, and situations where I'm unable to talk and people still assume I'm fine because they believe that if there was really a problem, I'd find a way to tell them. It also means knowing I might never be able to cope with a regular job.

HOWEVER, it also means being able to take pleasure in tiny things nobody else even notices. It means I feel this warm rush of pride almost every day, because every day is difficult and even the smallest things are a huge achievement for me. It means being safe from peer pressure because I'm oblivious to it in the first place. Above all, it's taught me the value of things other people take for granted, like their senses and ability to communicate.

Most of my worst traits come from being autistic, but my best traits come from being autistic too. Without autism, I just wouldn't be me. I used to have no self esteem and hated myself, but slowly I'm beginning to see that being me is quite a good thing to be. If somebody offered me a total cure for my autism I'd refuse, because there are a lot of good things mixed in with the bad. I certainly wouldn't mind a cure for my sensory problems though.

Beautiful.

My curse means I will always desire social interaction and friendships but know I am not very good at gaining this desire at the same time.

My curse means my feelings will never be taken seriously by some people.

My curse means I will always be a misfit in my family.

My curse means I can never have children because of the risk of the poor things inheriting this diabolical curse.

My curse means I will always be noticed and singled out in public no matter how well I conform to NT standards (but this might be because of the brightly-coloured aura I happen to also be cursed with, because even other Aspies don't get as many odd looks as I get).

My curse means I may never be able to do all the things I want to do, like going on holiday - because everyone I go with always have to make friends and I feel it ruins my holiday because I am always being left ignored.

My curse means I will always be unlucky with employment: been unemployed for years then finally somebody gives me the chance then a f*****g c**t called David Cameron cuts back the company I am working for and chucks me back on the dole for another load of years, punishing me for being out of work when it's not my fault.

My curse means I worry and fuss over small things.

My curse means I turn things that don't have to be a problem into a problem.

I hope in my next life I will come back as a confident, pretty NT girl.

Stop being pushy.
1000knives gave you a response. You may not like it, but you're not in control of what they type into the little box and post.

it means I am a loser. I am forever doomed to be lonely, and all the trying in the world isn't going to change that

I agree with all of the OP's points except for the first one. Personally I find it very hard to read someone's mind about how they feel and I do find myself thin-skinned at times when it comes to people judging me.

It means I'm broken, because my brain is.

The bane of my existence.

The one thing that hinders me from being all I'd like to be.

It means I have trouble keeping in contact

I will always have problems with my family (if i decide to talk to them when I leave) or have trouble when im married and have a family of my own

I will be a screw up.

I will always trouble with other people

I will never get a decent job

I have to struggle to be a part of sciocety.

What part of "if you like" do you feel is too pushy?

I did feel like I'd asked "what does your cat do that amuses you" and been answered "I don't have a cat" - um, well why answer if you don't have a cat? But obviously this is not the same as that, so I didn't treat it as a troll answer, but instead tried to coax more of an answer.

However, you do have a point. His original answer is actually very telling and quite insightful. All of us are in a situation where we really don't know any other way of being. Autistic or Aspergers is just who we are.