Reading about this disorder reminds me of my sister. She has Down's Syndrome and is one of my favorite people in the world. She has basically the same strengths and weaknesses as WS -- open and friendly when not anxious, but unable to determine when it is appropriate to trust someone. It's been a blessing having her in my life. She's the linchpin of our family in many ways. I'd probably be more of a black sheep in my family's eyes if it wasn't for always being so excited to see me regardless of conflicting religious beliefs with my family, etc.
The brain is an amazing instrument and it's fascinating (and scary) how it can be wired so differently in edge cases, but deep down, no matter the abnormality, there's a "soul" waiting to connect if you can meet them on their terms.
A good friend of mine has a brother with Down Syndrom...
1 Evening, he said that he would take his brother home and then we would meet. Saying that it is okay to bring along his brother to a local bar was one of the most "rewarding" moment i ever felt...
Btw. The boy with down syndrome has a job, lives alone and even sings in french in a quior.. :-) . He is alsof very social (talks to everyone in the train, but i think he trusts people to easily, he made paintings every year for our student club because we asked him every year if he wanted to go swimming with us when we rented the pool for 30-40 people in the evening, yearly tradition ).
You could really see his joy every time... Its awesome to see that a small gesture can have such a big impact on someone
The brain is an amazing instrument and it's fascinating (and scary) how it can be wired so differently in edge cases, but deep down, no matter the abnormality, there's a "soul" waiting to connect if you can meet them on their terms.