Today thousands of football fans passed by my house as Toronto hosted its first-ever FIFA World Cup match, and I spent part of the day sitting on my porch chatting with neighbours, cheering for visitors, and wishing people good luck.

I’m not really a football fan, but I love seeing other people excited and being part of such a historic moment for our city.

This is one of those times when my ADHD and autism seem to want very different things because my ADHD wants to join the crowd and talk to everyone, while my autism would rather smile, observe, and enjoy the excitement from a safe distance.

Somehow I managed both, chatting with visitors from other countries while also keeping a little distance from all the hustle and bustle.

Today reminded me that sometimes I don’t have to choose between the two—I can be part of the excitement without being in the middle of it.