Aspie Giftedness

From the The Girl With Curly Hair.

Aspergers can bring gifts, I could read by age 3 and half and devoured books. There were times I was reading 10-15 books a week. My gifts are one reason I slid through the cracks, the executive function and focus problems were always there, but for me there was joy in intellectual pursuits. Aspies have to go live in the life of the mind because the social world doesn't work the same for them. In my case, I can find close friends here and there, but when I am around a group of people, half of what they are talking about flies over my head and even now social rules and rituals still confuse me. With my Aspie friends and a few Aspie friendly neurotypical friends, they love intellectual pursuits and pursuing learning. This is a trait I value in people.  Growing up, I was not raised in an crucible where learning was loved, but it was a way out and a place where I could be me.