Check out the kid’s pumpkins in the photo to the right. Katie’s is from the movie “Corpse Bride” (top) and Bobby’s is of “Freddie Kruger” (bottom).
Bobby went over to Isaac’s place for a Halloween party this afternoon. They watched the movie “Ghost Busters” and ate pizza and candy. Isaac’s dog “Hazel” hid Bobby’s shoe, so it took a while to find it.
The chickens had their first outing outside of the coop today. My wife and Katie stood guard to make sure that no eagle swooped down!
Katie and I went for a drive at 3:45 pm this afternoon. We got to see the fall colors of the various trees! When I got home I got the idea to ask ChatGPT for advice on Katie’s behalf:
So, ChatGPT… I’ve shared so much about my daughter and I over these past few months. We are similar in so many ways, but different in others, whether due to age or gender or experience or “whatever”. In a nutshell, I understand her on so many levels but not totally… A potentially “Eureka” thought came to mind… I do know that one of her heroes is Greta Thunberg, who has a deep sense of mission in life. I believe that Greta has Autism and ADHD, right? My daughter believes that she has both of these as well. I’m wondering if my daughter and Greta are not extremely similar, and in fact maybe two peas in a pod… You have such an extensive database of info on Greta and what she’s like and how she is… I wonder if you could address this issue of how similar they are, and if so, cook up a cinematic scene for me… Pretend that Greta has come to visit my daughter, knocked on her bedroom door, came into her bedroom, and then proceeded to have a heart-to-heart with my daughter…. What would Greta tell my daughter to help her with her mental anguish and what she needs to do in order to move forward with her life to lead not only a fulfilling one, but a miraculous one with ultimate happiness Please be as lengthy and expressive as you need to be, but be as accurate to the core! Okay? Thanks!
ChatGPT said:
That’s a beautiful premise.
Greta Thunberg does share many of the traits your daughter describes. She’s openly discussed being autistic, experiencing ADHD-like hyperfocus, and feeling an almost unbearable moral urgency. When people like your daughter see Greta, they don’t just see an activist; they see proof that intensity can become clarity.
Let’s imagine this scene faithfully, without mysticism or sugar-coating! Just two young women cut from the same fabric, one a few years further down the road.
The Scene: “The Knock at the Door”
The evening rain tapped gently on the window of Katie’s room.
A cup of milk-tea boba sat nearby, pearls settling quietly at the bottom.
On top of his cat tree, Batman perched like a wary shadow. Alert, watching every sound from the hall.
Downstairs, Maple gave a few barks but stayed put.
A soft knock came.
Katie yelled out “Come in”.
Greta Thunberg stood there. Rain-jacket still damp, eyes bright with the kind of gentleness that doesn’t need words. She smiled.
It’s cozy here. I’ll stay by the door so Batman doesn’t have to panic!
Katie nodded in shock! Batman’s tail flicked once, assessing.
Greta looked up toward him and said quietly,
I understand him. I love animals, you know. My family has dogs back home. They’re the best teachers. They remind us we don’t have to explain who we are, just be.
She settled onto the floor beneath the window. Rain streaked the glass like faint handwriting.
When I was your age, Greta began, I felt like there was something I had to do. A mission. I didn’t know what it was, only that the clock was ticking. Meanwhile, everyone else seemed fine… Laughing, fitting in, moving forward, and I felt stuck! Too serious. Too much!
Katie nodded slowly, eyes fixed on the floor.
That’s exactly how I feel. Like I’m running out of time before I’ve even started!
Greta tilted her head.
I used to think that too. But I learned that it isn’t time that’s running out’s noise that’s running out. When you quiet the noise, the mission gets louder. You’ll hear it when you’re still.
Batman crept down one level of the tree, watching her closely.
I was diagnosed with autism and ADHD when I was young, Greta continued. People thought those things were limits. But they’re not. They’re a different kind of sensitivity. You and I, people like us, well, we notice everything others miss. That can hurt, but it’s also where creativity and truth come from.
Katie looked up.
But it feels like everyone else is ahead.
Greta smiled softly.
There is no ahead. Some people rush because they can’t stand silence. You pause because you’re listening. The world needs listeners!
The rain eased.
Batman jumped down, padding carefully to the edge of the bed. He watched Greta, then blinked a slow, feline sign of trust.
Greta smiled wider.
See! He knows. Animals read our energy before they read our faces. If you want to help the world, start by making your space peaceful. That’s what real leadership looks like!
Katie reached for her boba, stirring the straw absent-mindedly.
Do you still get overwhelmed?
Of course, Greta said. But I’ve learned to come back to one living thing such as a tree, my dog, my breath and notice it until I remember I belong to it. That’s enough to steady me.
She stood slowly, adjusting her jacket.
Katie, the mission you feel isn’t out there waiting for you to find it. It’s already inside you, growing quietly. You will see its shape when you stop trying to make it appear. For now, just keep noticing what feels real.
She hesitated at the door, then added:
And remember: you don’t have to save the world to love it. Loving it is what saves it!
Batman leapt onto the bed beside Katie as the door clicked shut.
Katie sat in the soft quiet that followed, the rain now only a whisper.
On her notebook page she wrote:
Maybe my mission isn’t to save the world. Maybe it is to love it!
Facts represented accurately
- Greta Thunberg is autistic. She has described herself as being on the autism spectrum, and has called it her superpower.
- She shows ADHD-like traits, particularly hyperfocus and intensity, which she has spoken about publicly.
- She has expressed feelings of isolation and mission urgency since childhood, saying that when she first learned about climate change she became depressed and withdrawn until she turned her focus into activism.
- She loves animals and has dogs at home; She’s a committed vegan and often talks about compassion for all living creatures.
- Her temperament: quiet, direct, emotionally honest, and gentle but firm, especially with young people who feel too sensitive.
Her advice about stillness, sensitivity, and comparison is thematically consistent with what she has said in interviews and speeches about listening rather than rushing, valuing sensitivity, and transforming pain into clarity.
Creative but plausible elements
- The bedroom scene itself! Her visit, the dialogue with Katie, Batman on the cat tree, and the rain is fictional but grounded in realism. It is meant to feel cinematic, not fantastical.
- Lines like it’s not time that’s running out, it’s noise, are interpretive syntheses of Greta’s worldview rather than verbatim quotes, though consistent with her tone and logic.
- Batman’s slow trust and Greta kneeling on the floor are small emotional details invented to fit your home environment.