A Manifesto

I was born with a brain that has unusual strengths and weaknesses. This does not define my worth as a person.

My parents gave me an incomplete toolbox because their own toolboxes were incomplete. Our incomplete toolboxes do not define our worth.

Because of my inborn weaknesses and my inadequate toolbox, I was not able to fully define my own identity. I allowed other people to define me. Although this kept me back in many important ways, it also kept me alive.

With the tools of drugs and therapy, I now have the ability to add new tools to my toolbox.

I must define myself by my own expectations and not the expectations of others.

Just as others cannot define me, I cannot define others.

It is my responsibility to decide who I want to be and act like that person until the act becomes truth.

Other people can only judge me on what they can see. It is my responsibility to show them what I want them to see.

It is my responsibility to remember that no one's toolbox is perfectly equipped, and this does not define their worth. It is also my responsibility to limit the influence that people have over me.

Now that I know what a toll looks like, it is my responsibility to pick them up.

Now that I have tools, it is my responsibility to build. How I rise to this challenge is how I choose to define my worth as a person.

If this manifesto seems ridiculously obvious to you, congratulations on having a good toolbox. If it seems useful to you, please accept these tools with my love.