Family Ties
My family came to visit this weekend, and it was great to see them. They got to get an idea of what my life is like here, and why I love it so much. Through thick and thin, I love my family. They support me and what I choose to do, even if it confuses them sometimes. My parents fought for me before I could fight for myself. My mother has always been my biggest advocate, and she taught me how to defend myself. She believed in me when nobody else did, and I will always be grateful to her for that. She fought to make sure I was never denied an opportunity simply because of someone else's prejudice. She taught me not to be afraid of rocking the boat, and she defended me when I was too young, or too uncomfortable to defend myself.
I can honestly say I wouldn't be in DC right now if it wasn't for my mother. She was the one who encouraged me to apply for this program, and further encouraged me to pursue it, even when I thought it might be too complicated to figure everything out. That's the way my family is, that's the way they always have been. They don't give up on things just because they're complicated, they work it out. I wouldn't be the person that I am today if it wasn't for them. I wouldn't have the opportunity I do without them. I'm so grateful that they taught me to believe in myself and be my own person. I'm grateful that they have been there for me, even if they didn't always understand me.
Understanding me. That has always been the complicated part. I live a life that is foreign to them. I experience things that no one in my family will ever be able to fully understand. They have not been there, or done that. They experience what it means to be disabled through witnessing me live my life. They get angry when they witness discrimination, but they do not understand how deep the sting of prejudice goes. They support me, but that doesn't mean they know what it's like to be me, which is something I think we've all had to learn to understand. They can't understand what it means to be me, any more than I can understand what it means to be them. This means we've all had to negotiate expectations that don't quite match up. We all have to remember that it's complicated, and what works for me may not be what works for them. Even though we're different, I know they would do anything for me. I owe everything to them. They were the ones who wouldn't take no for an answer. They were the ones who taught me how to use my voice, even when I wasn't ready to.
I couldn't ask for a better family. I have a mother who will always fight for me. A sister who will defend me with everything she's got. I have a brother who constantly reminds me that I am his sister, just as I am, and he wouldn't have it any other way. I have a dad who works his hardest to make sure that I have the best opportunity and chances he can provide. I have so many people in my corner, and even when they don't get it all the way, I know that they are still there for me, just like they always have been. I love them for that, and always will!