It's all about perspective. In Western Culture, I'm "disabled", "damaged", "sick", "weird", "dangerous", the list goes on and on. In South Africa, I am "Indiki". I am a man of "the pulse". I carry one of the Isifo Samathongo, the diseases of the gods. The Zulu made us their kings and their holy men. This view has been documented in numerous other cultures as well. To them, I am gifted, blessed, holy. Here, I have "issues", "baggage", "special needs". In reality, I am both, but I am neither. The truth lies somewhere in the gray middle.
This polarity of value is the biggest hurdle for those who know people with Tourette's, and for those of us living with TS and it's "friends". I've found that most individuals will put me in these same categories. When a first impression is made, into a category I go. I'll let you guess which one I usually land in. The more an individual invests in knowing me, the further into the gray middle I slide. I like it there. It feels like home. Handling the stigma of "damaged" or the stress of "holy" is more than I can bear.
God bless the Africans. May the Westerners develop hemmorrhiods!! Give me a place in the gray, preferably on the African side of the middle!!
It's all about perspective. In 894 Saxon Europe you'd probably be in trouble. :). But since we are talking perspective, mine is one where if you had never told me of those certain anomilies, I'd Likely never have known. And I only remember them when you bring them up. To me you are a fountain of knowledge, straightforward, and willing to be patient and share what you know and like with those around you. You call it tourettes and OCD: I call it 'my friend Brian' that's where it ends fir me.
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