Re: Been looking for answers all my life…

[Patte Rosebank]

Thanks, Bobcat!

I think that ADD/ADHD is a gift because it makes us the creative ones, the innovators, the ones who see things differently from most other people, the ones with the childlike innocence, the ones who challenge the status quo and try to make things better… This different way of experiencing the world is a wonderful thing, if we can harness it and use it properly.

An example: My brother caught Mononucleosis, several years ago. He was so weak, he could barely make it from his bed to the kitchen, let alone cook anything. Mom and Dad stocked his fridge with homemade, nuke-able meals, so we knew he’d be getting fed properly. I, on the other hand, bought a life-size Animal (his favourite Muppet) and a get-well card. I cut a big, jagged “bite” out of the card, tucked it in Animal’s mouth (so it would look like Animal got hungry along the way), and mailed them to my brother. He still talks about how much that gift lifted his spirits as soon as he opened the box. And Animal still has a place of honour in his home.

Now that I think about it, “gift” is the perfect word to describe ADD/ADHD. “Gift”, in English, means “a present”. “Gift”, in German, means “poison”. Same word, one very good meaning, one very bad meaning. It all depends on how you use it.

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