My mother and I have never been fond of hats. She says they bother her because of her big head, while I simply can't stand how they make my hair staticky. But despite our dislike for hats, I found myself diving headfirst into the world of millinery. Yet, another hobby to add to my ever-growing list.
Amidst the chaos of the 2020 Covid pandemic, I threw myself into all sorts of new hobbies: sewing, knitting, embroidery, crocheting... and then, the idea struck me to open a small shop selling wedding hats and fascinators.
Determined, I invested heavily in the necessary supplies and set out to master the craft of creating the elegant headpieces I'd admired at events like Ascot. But I hit some roadblocks, like needing the right tools and them being way too expensive. That left me with a surplus of materials and half-finished projects, including a surplus of feathers from a friend's photography trips.
This tendency to dive into new hobbies and unfinished projects extends beyond millinery. My home is a testament to my penchant for collecting hobbies, with crochet animals adorning shelves, unworn knitted jumpers filling closets, and half-finished embroidery projects strewn across tables. But when it came time to move, I realised how much stuff I'd accumulated. We needed an extra truck just for my hobby supplies!
The movers were very skilled in the art of spatial optimisation. I marvelled at the Tetris-like challenge of fitting all our possessions into the moving vans. Their observation that my hobby collection alone warranted its own transport container was a stark reminder of my tendency to take on too many tasks.
Upon arriving at our new home, I orchestrated the unpacking process, showing the movers where to stack my boxes until my office resembled a cardboard fortress. Yet, amidst the chaos, a remark from one of the movers made me think about moderating my pursuits: "Your wife could do with fewer hobbies," he joked to my husband.
My husband's neurodiversity manifests differently from mine. A couple of days after we moved, we were expecting guests; he got hyper-focused on setting up the internet instead of helping me with the more important tasks around the house, like unpacking the kitchen and getting the bedrooms ready! There was no way to snap him out of it. I just had to wait it out and trapeze along the corridor, careful not to drop something on his head (though, with hindsight, maybe I should have!).
Despite our different ways of getting things done, my husband and I make a pretty good team. We've learned to roll with each other's quirks. Embracing our scatterbrained tendencies has been quite the journey, strengthening our bond and turning what some might see as challenges into opportunities for growth and connection.
As for my own scattered thoughts and unconventional tendencies, they've become part of who I am, and the older I am, the more I embrace my weirdness. Even though some may find it exasperating and a little frustrating, I've learned that authenticity trumps conformity every time and being true to myself is more important than fitting into societal norms of professionalism.
By advocating for neurodiversity, I aim to promote acceptance and celebrate diverse perspectives. Our differences make us unique, and embracing them can unlock our collective potential and enrich our communities. After all, life's too short for beige!
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/various-colorful-threads-hanging-on-rail-in-workshop-3769010/