Looking back, are there things you did as a kid that totally make sense now? Maybe a routine you “had” to follow, a tantrum nobody understood, or an intense interest that took over everything.
Would love to hear those “aha” moments! 
Ooh, this hits deep!
When I was a kid, I used to get super overwhelmed at birthday parties like, full-on meltdowns if it got too loud or too many people were around. I remember once hiding under a table at Chuck E. Cheese while everyone else was playing and having fun. At the time, I just thought I was “shy” or “weird,” but now I realize it was probably sensory overload. 
Another one, I was obsessed with lining up my toy cars by color and size, and I’d get really upset if anyone messed them up. 
That intense need for order and routine totally makes sense now through the autism lens.
It’s kind of wild how things that seemed like just quirks or “being difficult” actually had deeper meaning. Looking back with more understanding is both healing and eye-opening 
For me, it was how I used to copy other kids—like, everything. The way they talked, the way they moved, even their facial expressions. I didn’t realize I was masking!! I just thought I was weird and needed to “fix” myself to be normal.
I also hated loud places—school assemblies, birthday parties, even the lunchroom sometimes. I’d just shut down or get super snappy and overwhelmed, and no one could figure out why. Teachers thought I had “behavior problems,” but I was just totally overstimulated.
That’s really interesting! I totally get what you mean. I used to have a meltdown if I couldn’t finish a certain thing, like a specific part of a puzzle or a game. It was like the world would stop making sense if I didn’t finish things in a certain way. I now know that it’s tied to the need for closure or feeling in control, which is something I never understood as a kid. Looking back, it makes so much more sense now.