PATIENT: Goldilocks

DIAGNOSIS: ADHD. (Rule out Impulse Control Disorder)

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I’m pretty sure Goldilocks had ADHD. (Yes, that is my official therapist diagnosis. I know a fellow ADHDer when I see one.)

Look at the evidence: She’s out wandering in the forest, not concerned that there could be danger out there. She’s curious, brave. That’s ADHD.

Maybe she just needs a change of scene. Maybe life back home got a little boring. Maybe she was in the middle of cleaning her room and saw a bird building a nest outside and went to investigate. And maybe then she saw something intriguing down the path and went to check it out. Maybe she’s been out there all morning and lost track of time. ADHD, right?

She comes to this cabin, knocks on the door. Nobody home. If she were NT (Neurotypical), she’d respect that and move on. Does she?

Nope. She goes inside. No thought to the possibility of being arrested for trespassing. She just thinks it’s a good idea to go in. (Why not? She’s here, now. That’s the only time that exists.)

She sees the three bowls of porridge. She’s hungry. She’d given no thought to hunger while wandering the forest. Too many interesting things to explore out there. (Who hasn’t lost track of time, hunger, thirst, bathroom needs while focusing elsewhere?)

Does she stop to think that this food is somebody else’s?

Nope. She’s hungry. She eats. (Good job taking care of your needs, Goldy.) She knows what’s too hot, too cold and just right. She’s not about to “eat it anyway” if it’s not just right for her. (Her mother found that so frustrating!)

She sees the chairs and decides to sit and maybe watch the birds outside. (Look! Squirrel!) Does she worry that these are not her chairs? That the owners might not like it if she sits in them?

Nope. She sits.

She gets tired. Does she think, “Gosh, I’m tired. Maybe I should go home to my own bed?”

Nope. She checks out the beds in the cabin. Assessing their comfort level, Goldy knows exactly what works for her.

She has incredibly well-developed sensory discernment. Too hard, too soft, just right. She’s not about to sit in an uncomfortable chair or stay in a bed that’s not right for her.

Goldy senses the rightness of things. That’s ADHD.

The bears, in my thinking, represent the NT world. The “don’ts” of life. Goldy knows the “don’ts.” She’s heard them repeatedly, every day of her little life.

The lesson of the story is, I think, that, yeah, there are rules, but doggone it, sometimes a girl just has to take care of herself.

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May God grant us compassion and understanding for those who don’t fit the mold. May your day be “just right” today. I appreciate you being here. ❤️

I’m heading to the finish line with OLD HABITS, book #5 in the series. OLD HABITS. (Mackenzie Prentice as a nun? Say what?)