Some can’t handle the curve.

It probably takes about 1,000 miles of riding to find your stride but one thing you will learn right away is that we don’t all enjoy the same part of the ride. My youngest son taught me that when we first began riding together. I quickly realized that if he picked our route, it would be full of curves.
That man loves the curves. He will lean in so that his knee is just millimeters from the ground. The faster he can take them the better, But, oh, not me! When I see a curve approaching my mind is going a million miles an hour and without even realizing it, my bike goes slower and slower. There are so many variables to consider: Is there a car in front of me or behind? Is there water on the road? Are other cars entering the road? Are trucks coming from the opposite direction on the curve? Curves are hard for me as there are just too many things to consider. Though I love riding, curves are definitely not my happy place.
With every curve comes anxiety and the second-guessing of my abilities. Oh, but when I see a straight away coming, my bike can’t go fast enough. In many ways, this is how someone with Autism or many other types of disabilities often feel. Curves are hard. Changing direction is hard, particularly when they are trying to keep up with someone who chose a route that best suited their own needs. Instead of expecting everyone to handle life’s curves and complicated directions in the same manner, we need to let them navigate in the way that best suits them. As they ride the same route, adhere to the same rules of the road, their own journey should be as enjoyable as, say, my son’s Evil Knievel renditions of a ‘road trip.’
A curve is just a transition and we all handle them differently. Struggling with change may not be the problem as much as the way we force someone to make it. It is time to quit asking others to act the way we want/expect and work with them to understand what they need to be successful in a transition. Every behavior has a reason, take a breath, step back and see if you can understand what a behavior is telling you.  It is time to ask if someone wants to take the route with all the curves or the straightway. Life will be much more pleasant for everyone!
Next time – Push don’t pull.