Hopko’s 31st maxim, ‘Be simple, hidden, quiet, and small’, does not imply that you must erase your autistic personality; rather, it is a way of following Christ who ‘made Himself of no reputation’. For autistic Orthodox Christians, simplicity can mean reducing needless internal and external complication: fewer competing obligations, fewer social roles you can’t sustain, clear routines instead of constant reinvention. ‘Hidden, quiet, and small’ does not mean ashamed or invisible; it means letting most of your life be lived before God rather than the crowd – less driven by social media, arguments, or proving yourself; more anchored in prayer, ordinary work, and loving the few people actually given to you.
Because the autistic life is already socially marginalized, this maxim must not be twisted into ‘accept neglect or abuse’ or ‘never ask for accommodations’. It does not forbid explaining your needs, advocating for accessibility, or seeking recognition where justice demands it. Instead, it speaks to the temptation – especially when you have been misunderstood – to build a large, defensive identity around being ‘the autistic one’, ‘the wounded one’, or ‘the genius’, and to measure everything by how much attention you receive. To be simple and small here might look like choosing depth with a few people instead of chasing every conversation; allowing whatever you do to be good and careful without obsessing over any audience; letting your special interests be real joys without needing everyone else to share them.
Practically, you could live this maxim by making your prayer corner, not your online presence, the centre of your day; by deliberately stepping back from some debates you could win; by leaving some good deeds entirely unmentioned; and by accepting that much of your faithfulness – managing sensory load to avoid hurting others, quietly enduring loneliness, showing up at Liturgy despite anxiety – will be known only to God. ‘Quiet’ may mean creating a little silence in your daily routine, not silencing your voice when it is needed; ‘small’ may mean taking on work that does not look impressive but is genuinely within your energy and gifts. Lived this way, ‘Be simple, hidden, quiet, and small’ becomes a deliberate choice to let your autistic life unfold on a human scale, where you can actually breathe and pray, instead of striving to meet what you imagine to be others’ expectations of you.
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