2014 World Down Syndrome Day


Tomorrow morning is March 21st and my second World Down Syndrome Day.

Last year on WDSD, my son Alvaro, who has an extra 21st chromosome, was only 5 weeks old. It was the day that I “announced to Facebook” that my son had Down syndrome.

I was still reeling from the shock of his diagnosis and trying to find out what that meant on the large scope of life. I wondered how his condition would affect him and our family. I was also reaching a place of acceptance and wanting to share with the world that I was proud and lucky to have him as my son, no matter what condition he did or didn’t have.

Tonight I sat on the floor of my boys’ bedroom watching them play. Joel doesn’t know his little brother Alvaro has an extra chromosome. Joel doesn’t care. He doesn’t notice his brother has slanted eyes or lower muscle tone. He doesn’t realize his brother isn’t yet crawling while his peers have begun to walk. To Joel, Alvaro is just his brother. Fun and silly. Loving. Cute. And part of his everyday world. The first thing Joel asks for in the morning is milk. The second thing he asks for is Alvaro.

This picture of love and acceptance is what World Down Syndrome Day is all about. Before we became parents to a wonderful boy who happened to have Down syndrome, we knew nothing of the condition. All we knew was slanted eyes, body types, and slower speech. All we knew were stereotypes. Now we know acceptance. We know love. We know that individuals with Down syndrome are more like us than they are different. And we aspire to raise our son in a world where he isn’t measured by his chromosomes, but by his worth and dignity as a wonderful human being.

So this World Down Syndrome Day, educate yourself about the truths of Down syndrome. When you meet someone with it- don’t let their physical features be an indicator or reflection of who they are. Let their hearts and lives speak for them. Give them the dignity and respect you’d like for yourself.

Maybe one day, the world will be filled with many more relationships as open and pure as Alvaro & Joel’s.  Without taking account of how many chromosomes are involved.




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