Mourning Rituals I get up every morning to my mom bringing me my breakfast—an Egg McMuffin from McDonald's—at 7:30 a.m. I have to eat the same thing every morning or my entire day feels ruined. My morning meds start at 8:30 a.m., spaced out 30 minutes apart. I take four medications each morning, and after that, I go to the bathroom at exactly 10:45. Then I get dressed and ready for work. If I have enough time, I might even start writing a blog post like this one. Routines are important for autistic people—they ground us. But not all autistic people need routines in the same way. We’re all different. Most late-diagnosed autistic people also have ADHD. I’ve never been tested for it, but I’m pretty certain that I don’t have it. I have several friends who do, and I don’t share any of the ADHD traits they describe, but I have nearly all of the traits of autism. But back to routines—I thrive on them. They help me stay focused and organized. If my routines get interrupted, I...