Refining, connecting, clarifying.

Exploring my personal process of connecting with life's truths.

My preferred way to learn is by reading between the lines. By that I mean that I (and probably my PDA) struggle with being told facts straight. In order to really understand, I need to see those facts told through stories.

And then my brain begins its distillation process.

I pull from other stories and find what I believe are the common threads. I compare and contrast, and from that I begin to see the clear lines that make up the various truths I care about.

The final step for me is filtering my refined elements through the community lens. I pick up many things from how others react to what I share: The emotions, the thoughts that bounce back. All those also get woven in.

(I forget now, am I distilling or am I weaving? I am very bad about mixing my metaphors)

I find too that I struggle with anyone who needs to always tell me their truths in only words, and no stories. This has to be one of the most “non-autistic” traits of mine. I have a difficult time if the person I’m interacting with isn’t also comfortable with dodging and weaving through the very terribly subjective of personal narrative to also find truth.

I need abstraction to find my clarity. The sharp lines of hard reality make it more difficult for me to see, ironically enough. Blur the edges and I am safe.

Look: Now I am distilling, weaving, and painting.