Chapter 1
Once upon a time, there lived a bear named Barry. Barry was different from all the other bears in the forest. He was special because he had autism. From the very first day his mother set her eyes on him, she knew that he was a very special bear. He loved to be cuddled and loved it when his mom would make him his favorite dessert, blue berry pie. Because of his autism, Barry had a hard time making new friends and socializing with the other bears. No matter how hard he tried, it just seemed too difficult for him to meet new friends.
Barry loved to spend his days exploring the forest and discovering new things. But even though he loved being alone, he couldn't help feeling a little bit lonely. He wished he had someone to share his adventures with.
One day, while out for a walk, Barry came across a group of bears having a picnic. They invited him to join them, but the noise and commotion of so many bears talking and laughing at once was too much for Barry to handle. He felt very overwhelmed and had to leave.
Barry was disappointed. He wanted to make friends, but his autism made it hard for him to be around big groups of bears. He didn't know how to cope with the loud sounds and bright lights that made him feel so uncomfortable.
Feeling hopeless and alone, Barry decided to take a walk in the forest to be alone. On his walk, he met a kind and friendly fox named Rosie. Who was hiding in the bushes.
Rosie noticed that Barry seemed upset and came out from the bushes and asked him what was wrong. Barry explained to her about his autism and how it made it difficult for him to be around loud sounds and bright lights.
Rosie listened with empathy and understanding. She told Barry that she, too, had a hard time with loud noises and bright lights. She shared with Barry how she uses earmuffs and sunglasses to help her cope with her sensory issues.
Having an extra pair of earmuffs and sunglasses, she decided to give them to Barry to help with his sensory issues. She loved spending her time wandering around the forest like Barry and asked them if they could explore the forest together.
Barry was so happy that she had asked to be his friend. He was very grateful to Rosie for her understanding and for sharing her tips with him. He felt like he finally found a friend who really understood him for who he was.
From that day on, Rosie and Barry became best friends and had many adventures together. They wondered around the forest, finding beautiful flowers and chasing butterflies in the open meadows.
Wandering the forest one day to look for food they could use for a picnic, they had stumbled across a fox named Whiskers and a raccoon named Rosco who were picking berries from the nearby bushes.
After talking with them for a while, they soon found out that they shared their same interest in exploring new things. Instead of being afraid and not wanting to ask them to be friends, he pulled together his courage and asked them if they wanted to be friends with him and Rosie.
Whiskers and Rosco were so happy that Barry had asked them to be friends and said, of course, we would love to. They, too, were looking for new friends to explore the forest and go on happy adventures with.
Barry suddenly remembered the bears who had asked him if he wanted to join their picnic. Thinking how great it would be to finally have a picnic with friends, he asked them if they wanted to join him and Rosie for their very first picnic.
Excited and over joyed, they gathered up as many berries as they could and headed off into the meadow to have a picnic. Eating delicious berries and getting to know each other, they soon agreed to start a group called the forever friends.
After their picnic, they wandered off into the forest with their new forever friends and came across a beautiful waterfall. Barry and Rosie were very overwhelmed with the sound of the water crashing against the rocks.
But with the help of their new friends and Rosie's tips about wearing earmuffs to muffle the sound of the water crashing against the rocks they soon felt confident to approach it and enjoyed the beautiful waterfall together as forever friends.
Soon, it was time for Barry and his friends to go home. As soon as Barry got home ran to his mother to tell her about his exciting new adventures with his forever friends and told her about his new earmuffs and sunglasses that he used to help with his sensory problems.
Finally, Barry realized that he was not alone anymore and that he could make friends despite his autism. His autism didn't define who he was on the inside. He learned that it's okay to be different and that with the help of his forever friends, he could overcome anything. The end.
Special Note:
It's important to note that while this story is meant to be a helpful representation of how Barry navigates his autism, it should not be taken as medical or professional advice and it's always best to consult with a specialist in the field. Additionally, it's essential to remember that every individual with autism has their unique experience, and what works for one person may not work for another.
Dedicated to all of those with special needs.
Copyright:
All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2023
by Adam Buckley
