Hello everyone, happy World Down Syndrome Day!

Sending so much love and light to all of my Down Syndrome families. Whether it’s your sibling, son/daughter, cousin, or even your best friend, I want to extend so much love and gratitude for what you do for our community. Together, we get to shout their worth, disband the old rejecting images of Down Syndrome, and replace them with unconditional love, grace, and kindness. 

Yes, World Down Syndrome Awareness Day looks a little different this year. Some of you may be isolated at home, or maybe you’re like me and staying away from your loved one to ensure their health and safety.

Some of your loved ones with Down Syndrome may have compromised immune systems, or have heart disease like Michael, making it even more important to prioritize their health and quarantine. 

All of our news feeds are filled with coronavirus talk, and it’s almost impossible to avoid any exposure to it, let alone get sucked into the fearful energy associated with it. 

And yet during these turbulent times, we get to choose. 

We get to choose to live in that state of fear, or we get to choose living and sharing the love and light. 

Yes, I’m devastated that I won’t be with Michael or my Mama right now. And I have no idea when it’ll be safe to visit them again. And yet, I do know that we have the power to choose.

And today I choose to continue sharing the lessons I’ve learned from growing up with Michael. This is something I choose everyday, and find it even more important now.  

Perspective

I’m a firm believer that your thoughts dictate and shape the world around you. A simple shift in your perspective can easily turn your entire mood around. As best said by one of my favorite self-development speakers, Dr. Wayne W. Dyer: “change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.”

Right now, I choose to view through a lens of gratitude. 

I’m grateful that my family is safe, healthy, and that we have technology to keep us connected even though we can’t physically be with one another. I’m grateful to work for incredible companies where I get to work from home for one, and with another who is supporting our community by sharing yoga for all during this time. 

I’m grateful that our world is taking action to protect our health. And even if it looks different now, I’m grateful that Mother Nature is finally getting the break she needs. I’ll be honest, I’m excited to see how much our environment will thrive during this time.

Not Giving a F*ck

Yes, I said it. This past year I’ve learned to quit worrying about what other people think of me. I discovered that I can be incredibly people-pleasing, basically living an inauthentic life by constantly trying to look good enough, and living to make others happy, rather than making myself happy. 

I’ve been stuck on what sort of content to post on our Instagram, worrying about how others will judge my content, rather than the value it may provide to others in our community. I’ve wasted endless time worrying about pleasing others, rather than living authentically and true to myself.

And it’s a little ironic- whenever I’m with Michael, I don’t care about what others think. If others get frustrated with us getting in the way at the grocery store, or if Michael is upset in public, I never care about what others think or what they have to say. Because they don’t live in our shoes, and don’t understand what it’s like to grow up with someone so loving, so genuine, and so kind. And why should I care in my own life about what others think each and every moment?

3. Unconditional Love

Throughout my life, I always wondered why it’s so important to keep the Down Syndrome community. With all of the negative stigma surrounding the population, it’s important to advocate on behalf of these genuine individuals. And many of these individuals blindly express love in the purest form.

 

My brother doesn’t care what you look like, what clothes you wear, what your race or ethnicity is, what gender you are, what your sexual orientation is, or what religion you support. He simply doesn’t care.

 

What he does care about, is how he’s treated. If he’s approached in a loving manner, he will reciprocate that back. Not once have I ever seen him discriminate another person. He, and other persons with Down Syndrome, demonstrate love and affection without bias.

 

I continue to be inspired by these individuals with the beneficial values in life they have to offer. While not everyday has been easy with Michael, I’m beyond grateful for his presence in my life.