I am probably too confident for my own good sometimes. However, I was not always a girl who could easily make friends or stand up for what I believe in all by myself. Self-confidence is a trait that I’ve had to learn. I am fortunate to have a sister who helped me with this, an older and (obviously) wiser sister. This is probably the best kind of sister one can have. But wait, there’s more: my sister, Lily, is not like most sisters. Lily has Down Syndrome.
One in every 691 babies is born with Down Syndrome. Lucky for me, my sister is one of those people. Lily has taught me many things. When we were growing up, I knew Lily was a bit different from other kids. I was not aware that there was a title for this difference though, and the difference did not really bother me. I learned though, that there were people for whom this difference would matter. Lily is kind-hearted, and her unconditional love can be abused by others. I remember a time when another girl in Lily’s class asked her to trade iPod headphones, leaving Lily with an older, broken set of headphones. As a child, I had to be able to separate the people who would take advantage of her from those who truly loved her. In order to do this, I had to let go of my insecurities and my shyness so that I could protect my sister. Even though Lily is my older sister, I often take on the “big sister” role. This gave me a big responsibility at a young age which perhaps has made me more mature at an earlier age.
Lily taught me how to be patient, kind, and to love unconditionally. As most teenage girls, I often find myself critical of other kids my age. I can easily judge others for their choices that, in reality, might be beyond their control. A girl at school may have rumors spread about her that are completely untrue, crushing her spirit. Lily is unaware of gossip, and likes people just for who they are. I have learned that I need to take the time to get to know people just as people have taken the time to get to know me. Lily has taught me to withhold judgment at first glance because everyone has a good heart somewhere inside of them.
Most of all, Lily taught me to be brave. Lily was always willing to go try new things; always first to approach kids on the playground. Since I was the dorky little sister I tagged along so I wouldn’t miss out on anything. After watching Lily do this with no negative outcome, I became brave enough to go approach people and make new friends myself. There is a bit of a role reversal now. I help Lily when she might be too afraid to speak to someone or if she’s having trouble finding the right words to say. I have learned how to be brave-- brave enough to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves, brave enough to take chances, and brave enough to be myself.
Coming into my confidence was a journey. I had the pleasure of walking this journey hand in hand with my best friend, my sister, my Lily. Now I have no trouble walking up to a group of people I do not know. I can easily start a conversation with anyone. I have the ability to make good, and loyal friends. Confidence is a trait that I am blessed to now have, just as I am blessed to have Lily.
