Not to be hypersensitive (ha!), but I'd take the same angle on the empathy and ease of social savvy, since a lot of people have issues in these areas that are not related to effort and/or character.
Though even when the person has a more innate ability, they still have to figure out how to apply it, over time, in a constructive way.
With DS, it took him time to figure out how to relate to different types / ages of kids. Even though building up a repertoire of tools to use and figuring out how to apply them in every given situation is something he naturally excels at, it's an accomplishment he should be proud of.
Pride in one's accomplishments can be rooted in one's strengths just as much as one's ability to overcome weaknesses.
