Blog #356: My Neurodiverse Perspective on the Maui Wildfires
- Jeffrey Snyder
- Aug 16, 2023
- 2 min read
For the past few days, the horrors that have been happening on the Island of Maui in the Hawaiian Islands has been a living nightmare for so many people. For residents, many have lost everything to the flames; for tourists, their favorite spots are burned up. It’s a very challenging time right now and as a neurodivergent, while I haven’t been watching the news reports from Maui (which is probably a good thing), I can’t help but think of the people who are suffering due to these fires.
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For one thing, the fires all more than likely have displaced plenty of families, particularly neurodivergent families. You have children or adults who are completely oblivious to the fact that their homes are gone and parents/guardians or caretakers are trying to find the words to explain that their homes are lost to the flames.
A few blogs ago, I talked about how the fire alarm went off in my apartment building and how we should prepare neurodivergent individuals on how to cope when the moment comes. It seems that nothing could have prepared anyone neurodivergent or neurotypical for something like this which makes it all the more frustrating to process.
Still, when it comes to fires, neurodivergent individuals tend to have the hardest time to process what is happening. So many questions go through a neurodivergent individual’s mind that they tend to freeze up in their tracks.
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Now, I can understand what it feels like to have a place or someone you know affected by a natural disaster of this magnitude. Last year, Hurricane Ian devastated Sanibel Island, Florida and my exact words to the matter were that it was like watching someone you love getting beat up in front of your eyes and that there is nothing you could do anything about it. Sanibel was more than just an island, it was our winter home for many years going back to my paternal grandparents who would spend the winters down there.
I’m sure many of you are connected with the island of Maui in some way and know just exactly what is going through your minds right now. But the only thing you can do is look for the helpers. Looking for the helpers will give you a sense of comfort knowing that things will one day be okay.
When I witnessed Hurricane Ian destroy Sanibel, I focused on finding the helpers on television going above and beyond to bringing the island back to a sense of normality, even though nothing will ever be the same. The same can be said for Maui, nothing will ever be the same, but it will get back on its feet one day. Maui will rebuild, but it will take time. Sanibel is still rebuilding from Hurricane Ian and it’s still rebuilding from Hurricane Ian.
In conclusion, I’m going to leave you with this all-too familiar quote from Fred Rogers which talks about the importance of looking for the helpers. I know its a lot, but it gives a sense of comfort to families affected by tragedy or disaster:
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Catch you all later and #Mauistrong!!
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