I was totally blown away last night by the movie Temple Grandin, a true story about a fascinating and inspirational woman with autism. It's an amazing movie that's worth watching even if you don't know anyone with autism.
Even though my children don't have autism, I was able to relate to so many aspects of this movie. Autistic individuals often have Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). So, as my understanding of sensory processing has deepened, so has my interest and understanding of autism.
In particular, I was moved by the scene in which the mother is told that her four-year-old daughter has autism and that it was caused by her lack of love and affection. I recently became aware of the term, refrigerator mother that came from this antiquated idea of the 1950's. To see it depicted on screen was powerful.
I was also moved by the underlying theme that Temple is
different, but not less. Amen to that!
I was so affected by this movie that I felt compelled to learn more about the real Temple Grandin. I watched several videos on You Tube, including a very interesting BBC documentary called The Woman Who Thinks Like a Cow.
I'm so glad to know more about this incredible woman who has done so much. She's helped build a better understanding of what it's like to be autistic. She's made very real and substantial strides in the way of humane treatment of cattle. Most of all, she's a living example that you don't have to be "normal" to accomplish greatness.
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