Great post over at AutismWeb yesterday on “The 17 Things ‘The Princess Bride’ Taught Me About Autism.”  Thank you Winnie for reposting it, and big thanks to Snagglebox, source of the original post.   We could all use a dose of this today.   Personally I’m replaying #16, i.e. even when I’m dog tired, with my perpetual sleep issues lately – and even when there’s two steps forward and one step back, as in W’s disrobing behavior and J.’s agitation, I’m still alive and keeping up the fight.  And most importantly, #17.   To the castle – !

1.  Affection doesn’t have to mean saying I love you. Reading a story to someone who’s sick in bed, saying “as you wish” or playing rhyming games that annoy your boss… there are many more ways to show love than just those three little words.

2.  Optimism can get you through the fire swamp. Just because you haven’t tackled a problem before doesn’t mean there’s no solution, even for POUS’s (Problems of Unusual Size).

3.  Having a target will help you stay focused. You don’t have the energy or resources to tackle every challenge that’s in front of you. Find your six-fingered man – prioritize your goals, work out which of those you can tackle and then pursue them with everything you’ve got.

4.  You rush a miracle man, you get rotten miracles. Be patient. Change and growth takes time, and there are no corners to be cut here. Every kid is working to their own schedule and developing at their own rate.

See the rest of the original Snagglebox post here:  http://www.snagglebox.com/2013/02/17-things-princess-bride-taught-me.html

And, last but not least, a final word we all need to remember:

17.  It’s one hell of a story. Sure there’ll be laughs, adventure, pain and tears… but at the heart of it all, it’s about love.

Have fun storming the castle!