Thank you so much for asking such a vulnerable question in a place where people venerate 'smart' and 'fast' people. In truth, we all have strengths and weaknesses and being at peace with that reality allows us the freedom to address issues vs struggling in denial. Learning to 'play the cards you are dealt' without shame or guilt is a super power, imho.

We all have our anecdotes about someone that is 'quick on their feet' or 'slow to speak' etc but it wasn't until my daughter was diagnosed with memory and processing issues that it hit home how deeply this can affect people.

While doing a battery of tests, it was determined her 'intelligence' was in the 99th percentile, but her processing speed and working memory were in the 25th and 19th percentiles. That represents almost 5 standard deviations between what she understands and how easily she can process it!

Seeing how truly intelligent she is, but also appreciating the time it takes time for her to put the pieces together gives me more compassion and patience when I am working with people that process information differently than I do.