I was diagnosed with autism very late in life, when I was already old and grey. I have a lifetime of experience behind me, without ever even knowing about autism or that I might have it. My diagnosis of being on the Spectrum was the most liberating and empowering experience in my whole life, as it finally made sense to me of all the situations and experiences that I have had up to that point, which never before made sense to me, or to those around me. Autism is not an excuse for anything, but it is an explanation.