Summary

Higashida says that people with autism like going for walks simply because they love the greenness of nature, which recharges their bodies and is always welcoming. He feels he can make friends with nature and get mentally lost in it. When he is given free time, he often picks up a familiar toy or object simply because that is something he can do, not necessarily what he wants to do. He tells about seeing a huge statue of Buddha that made him cry because of all the hopes and prayers it represented. He felt that the statue was saying to him, “All human beings have their hardships to bear, so never swerve away from the path you’re on.” His tendency to constantly dash around bothers him but is difficult to control, although jogging and walking seem to help because they refresh...