Greta Gets Her "Time"

She is sixteen years old, but she looks several years younger.

She is about 5 feet tall and usually wears her brown hair in braids.

She is focused, determined and uncompromising.

She appears to be unimpressed with fame and attention – whether it is her own or someone else’s.

And she has Asperger’s.

            Greta Thunberg is an amazing young woman.  Her mission is both simple and powerful.  She does not mince words as she issues her warning of eminent destruction from the dangers of climate change.  Greta has addressed the United Nations and met with Prime Ministers, Presidents and the Pope.  And now, Greta Thunberg has been named the 2019 Time Magazine Person of the Year.

            It is an honor that is well deserved.  In my opinion this Swedish teenager has displayed wisdom and courage way beyond her years.  But above all her message is desperately needed in this world.  Global warming is a genuine threat to our survival.  Most of us know it but have become a bit numb to it.  Perhaps it is because the problem seems too big to tackle.  Or maybe we are hoping that someone else will deal with it, if not in our generation then in the next.  Or the one after that.  However, as Greta Thunberg reminds us, it may be now or never.

            National Geographic reports some troubling facts.

·         Ice is melting across the globe.  For example, Glacier National Park in Montana had 150 glaciers in 1910.  Today it has 30 remaining.  The changes are even more dramatic at the polar caps.

·         Earth’s sea levels are rising by 0.13 inches per year.  This is the inevitable result of the melting ice.

·         Many species of life are migrating to different areas because of temperature changes, and in some cases they are nearing extinction as their ecosystems are disappearing.

·         Precipitation is becoming more erratic and extreme, with some areas receiving too much rain and others experiencing drought conditions.

I am no expert on climate change, and the list above is only a sampling.  But one

thing National Geographic makes clear is that our world is dependent upon a very delicate balance, and that balance is disrupted by environmental changes.  Each change for one specie or condition negatively affects multiple other life forms.

            Many of us just don’t let these facts sink in.  Maybe we are too concerned about our family finances, or our children’s education.  Some of us may be so invested in our jobs that we do not have time to be worried about such huge issues as climate change.  Besides, we reason it will take drastic measures by nations – not individuals – if anything will really make a difference.  But what we forget is that nations are made up of individuals.  And in order for nations to make a change the citizens must initiate it.  This is the essence of Greta’s message.

            I am so pleased that Time magazine chose to honor this amazing young lady.  She deserves it.  The cause for which she is fighting deserves it as well.  I suppose this is why I am so devastated that the President of the United States has chosen to act like a small child when Time revealed the 2019 recipient of this award.  73 year old Donald J. Trump, in a typical Trumpian Tantrum, lashed out at Greta Thunberg with wrath, name-calling, and disrespect.  It is no secret that Donnie wanted to be named Person of the Year by Time,  and since he wasn’t he had his little feelings hurt.  Consequently, he felt compelled to take it out on the one who did receive the honor.  How predictable!

            In doing so Donnie proved why he was not named Person of the Year.  73 year old men should not act like they are 7.3 years of age!  It only reveals how shallow and trivial they are.  Of course, this behavior should not surprise us.  Trump is always trying to belittle someone.  Not only is he a sore loser, but he embodies disrespect and dishonor.

            But this is not about Trump, thankfully!  This is about Greta.  It is about the climate crisis.  And it is also about Asperger’s and how Greta turned her disability into her ability.  Asperger’s Syndrome varies greatly from one individual to the next, and I admit that I am not familiar with just how it is manifested in Greta.  Generally, Asperger’s involves challenging social skills, hypersensitivities, and at times anxiety.  However, persons with Asperger’s often display a sharp focus and great attention to details.  Many learn to overcome their challenges by building on their strengths.  Or, as I like to say, utilizing their abilities to overcome their disabilities.  Greta Thunberg has done just that.  She is a wonderful example for everyone who lives with some form of disability (aka, all of us).  In this way she has proven that she deserves the Person of the Year award, both for her social activism and her personal triumph.

            We need more people like Greta Thunberg in this world – people who can focus on a problem and challenge all of us to work on solutions; people who are not afraid to speak Truth to Power; people who inspire rather than belittle; people who use their abilities for the common good.



George Douglas Gehr

December 15, 2019

For more information on Asperger’s Syndrome visit www.autismspeaks.org or www.autism-society.org