Springtime for Autism.

I Always look forward to spring, and I'm not the only person on the ASD spectrum who feels that way. Often, adult peers report on-line and in person that the relatively short days of winter add to feelings of depression. The beginning of spring means that the annual progress of sunlight from its December low to the June high has reached a halfway point. Spring, in nature, is the time for new life and an annual time of renewed hope

Spring had an automatic audience in my family. My mother was born on March 20th and my father on March 29th, which he shared with one of my favorite racehorses, Man O' War. Secretariat also had that birthday, but I was an adult by then. Depending on the immediate state of weather, it wasn't long before I looked forward to traditional springtime activities. One of my favorite ones was to plant morning glory seeds on the porch in front of our house. It was a daily treat to guess how many blooming flowers would be there.

Easter was another tradition to perhaps endure more then enjoy. You see, my brothers and I were all drafted into the local high school group that played for the sunrise service in the local park. It is bad enough to get up before dawn but to sit and play in cold weather made me grateful that the session didn't usually last too long!

Spring always meant a family trip, and it was easier to travel then. We tried winter trips, but weather often screwed things up. It still does. Recently, my wife, Mary, and I were snowed out of a return flight from Philadelphia after a conference. We wound up on a train to Flagstaff, AZ during which time I finished this article. Back to spring trips. My mother loved history so we usually visited places like Williamsburg and Boston.

Baseball also starts in spring, at least in places where you have a real change of seasons like Islip, New York. I stunk at baseball and at most team sports. But I did it to have fun and be part of what my more talented peers did. There was a yearly parade, and many of them marched in the front, playing for top division teams. Those playing in the opening game actually rode in convertibles like local celebrities. But even when I was in the last parade group, the bottom league and obviously older because of my relative height, I was in the same parade, and that meant everything to me.

Little League is not forever, and eventually, spring meant it was warm enough to run around the high school track. I never lettered at track or cross-country, but the laps relaxed me just the same. As I got older and fitter, it was easier to concentrate on schoolwork like essays that didn't come as naturally as math. My running paid off in the classroom even if it never got me a letter to wear and impress some girl.

Spring made working most jobs easier--not that my brothers and I didn't have some fun trying to see how quickly we could shovel snow off the driveway so our teacher/parents could drive to work. It was also fun to brave the early cold and try to get the milk inside before it froze and popped the top! But I didn't mind being retired from such chores until next winter by spring. The only advantage for me of winter was knowing that dogs, which usually chased me on my paper route, were inside more often.

Spring often brings employment. Stephen Shore repaired bicycles as a youth. I imagine spring produced a steady supply of bikes needing a checkup after a winter of virtual non-use. Bobby Vaughan, a buddy of mine in high school, had a regular job stringing tennis rackets for a local country club. Not suprising at all, spring always produced an upsurge in his business! But then, I guess an enterprising autistic high schooler could learn to get sleds and skates ready for winter, too. Repair jobs are good for many of us in all seasons. Come to think of it, I never got paid for it, but my father appreciated my interest in getting our lawn mower ready for spring duty.

The favorite spring ritual was painting our boat. We repainted it every spring, starting as soon as middle brother, Jim, and I could. It was a cool, little nineteen foot wooden outboard that could tow two skiers with our motor. Jim became a movie production designer, and if you watched his attention to that boat's details, you can see his professional future's roots. I liked helping, and I liked watching the paint dry. You can learn a lot about wood from watching paint dry, and I never understood it when they say, "that's about as exciting as watching paint dry."

Spring also meant, back then, that school would be over soon, and I would have a well-earned summer vacation ahead of me. Not that I wouldn't do something productive until fall, but it would be my chance to do something besides school! It saddens me that so many youth today are scheduled into school year-round. The schools have become babysitters and prisons. For whose convenience is this?

That is for another article. Back to spring, which meant that some of my high school efforts would reach a finale. There was an annual county music festival whose best participants would earn an automatic spot in the All-County performing groups in the next fall. You had to play or sing a solo and earn a high enough grade to do that. I failed on my first try but succeeded the next try. It was scary to perform, but I never would have gained any confidence doing presentations if not for those boyhood music auditions. I made enough mistakes to learn that it doesn't matter. You can't ever be good publicly unless you can risk laying a public egg.

That is what spring meant to me when young. Today, spring still renews my spirit. Maybe I will lose some weight finally or do something healthy outdoors. Whether it happens or not, what is important is the annual renewal of hope that spring delivers. There is always room for more hope in any family that lives with autism. I hope you take advantage of any hope spring brings your way.

Visit the website of Jerry and Mary Newport at www.realmozart-whale.com for more information on living with ASD and when the Newports will be in your area.

EDITOR'S NOTE: JERRY NEWPORT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH ASPERGER SYNDROME IN 1995. HIS LIFE WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE MOVIE, MOZART AND THE WHALE. NEWPORT WILL BE SUBMITTING ARTICLES TO EP THROUGHOUT 2007.