偉大的科學家Henry Cavendish

昨天和孩子一起讀到以「測量地球密度」聞名的科學家Henry Cavendish (1731-1810)的故事，孩子的表情複雜、有點好玩，因為這個人的個性太像他了，而且更加極端。
Cavendish為了躲避和人接觸，坐馬車時總窩在角落、天黑了才敢出門散步，還造了自己專用的樓梯。--他應該是有社交恐懼症。
幾乎沒有人聽過Cavendish說話，頂多只聽過他極小而細的聲音。他總是用寫的來指示管家做事。--他想必有選擇性緘默症。
Cavendish每天吃同樣的食物、穿同樣的衣服，遵循著同樣的生活規律。--他可能有感官統合障礙、過於敏感，這些行為是為了避免感官受到刺激。
我們覺得Cavendish全心全意投入科學研究，可能是積極逃避焦慮的一種方法。 不過，孩子認為一旦他進入科學的奧妙領域，就真的熱愛科學，因此不斷持續。而他能專心致志、免除所有干擾，是研究成功的關鍵。但孩子擔心，他參加皇家科學院聚會萬一沒有熟悉的食物可吃，怎麼辦?(果然是氣質相似的人才最能瞭解啊！) 當然，選擇性緘默症的人也可以有這麼傑出的成就，這點令我們感覺還不錯。但我也不禁覺得，Cavendish活得多麼辛苦而孤獨。如果那時也有「一次一小步」、「悄悄融入」的方法來幫助他，他的人生會不同嗎？
Yesterday I was reading The Story of Science by Joy Hakim with my son. He had a complicated, somewhat funny, expression on his face. I think I know exactly why. This great scientist Henry Cavendish, known for "weighing the earth," has strikingly similar traits as my son!
"Cavendish is shy almost to the point of illness." To avoid encounter with others, he scrunches himself in a corner when riding in a carriage, takes his daily walk at night, and even has special staircases installed.--So he may have social anxiety.
Hardly anyone has heard him speak, except a tiny squeaky voice on very rare ocassions. He leaves his housekeeper written directions.--So he very likely has selective mutism.
He eats the same meals, wears the same style clothes, and sticks to exact routines.--He is likely to have sensory integration disorder. These behaviors prevent sensory overload.
His whole-hearted dedication to science seems to us an intense way to escape anxiety. But my child felt that once Cavendish delved into the fascinating realm of science, he developed a real passion and persisted. A key to his success is insulation to all outside disturbances.
However, my child was worried that Cavendish might not have anything familiar to eat at Royal Society dinners, the only social gatherings he attended. (Something my child is very experienced in.)
It is certainly good to know that someone with such severe selective mutism could accomplish such great tasks. But it is also sad to learn how lonely he must have been. How would he have been different if he had been helped to overcome this difficulty?