Considering the condition of autism in children:

Difficulty in reading or recognizing facial expressions in others.

Does this mean that they inherently cannot recognize the meaning of words? Can they read poetry and understand its profound impact upon one individual versus another? Do they understand that their words can affect the emotional conditions of others?

NPR reports that kids who grow up with dogs tend to interact more positively with other children, and furthermore, will be able to better interact with adults as they grow. This is due to the fact that a dog will learn to respond to a child’s emotions. When a child is happy, the dog will be happy; if a child is upset, then the dog will learn to comfort that child. 

–> This works both ways. Children see the dog responding to them, so they learn to respond to the needs of that dog. A child who grows up with a dog will be able to recognize sickness, apprehension, tension, etc, within the dog. This, scientists say, transfers to their interactions with people. They are more able to “read” people.

Question: If this is true, then would raising an autistic child further their ability to “read” others? Will they be more likely to understand concepts such as, “If I call you ugly, and you smile about it, does that mean that you are not hurt? Can you harbour feelings that are not shown upon the face?” With proper face-analysis training, combined with the partnership of a dog, will an autistic child be able to understand present and unexhibited emotions together?

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Have you ever read Emily Dickenson? Good. Me neither. I always hated her work. Seems to me like all her poetry can be rewritten into the song, “The Yellow Rose of Texas.” Hate it.

However, today I was thinking about her poem, “I am nobody. Who are you?” The only part of the poem I actually remember is:

“I am nobody.

Who Are you?

Are you nobody too?”

That’s all. Terrible stuff, it is. But the reason why I remember it is because my mother had an illustrated book of Emily Dickenson’s poems. In the poem, she is sitting in her bedroom, speaking to a bird. 

Who are you, anyway, bird?