Member-only story
My Life With Sensory Processing Disorder
And how I (eventually) turned it into my secret superpower
I don’t like soup. I’ve never liked soup. It’s always got to have too many shapes and colors — some of them solid, like meat, some of them mushy, like vegetables. It’s trying too hard to be too many things at once. It’s too much going on, to the point of almost being tacky.
I vaguely remember trying to eat a bowl of chicken noodle soup when I was little. It was what was for lunch, served with a side of eat it or starve. That should have been fine. There shouldn’t have been a problem. But I remember trying to eat a spoonful of it, and feeling incredibly upset. Between the tin-tasting liquid, overcooked noodles, and chunks of chicken, my brain was being torn in four or five different directions.
It was downright painful. Not to mention the soup itself was disgusting.
There are some forms of soup I can deal with now, but I didn’t bother with soup for most of my life. Along with the toe seams on socks, lip balm and lotion, and just wearing sunglasses, I’ve had a lot of trust issues to overcome.
It’s better now. Part of growing up is learning how to manage your weaknesses. The truly brave learn to turn those weaknesses into advantages.
