As Down Syndrome Awareness month comes to an end, I always find myself laughing at the coincidence of receiving Leo’s Trisomy 21 diagnosis in the middle of October. Five years later I can say, without a doubt, that the world needs more people with Down Syndrome. Inclusion and acceptance have become more of a priority in our society over the years, which is wonderful if you have a kid with special needs. However, many parents still normally go through their own journey of acceptance whenever they receive a diagnosis for their child. Many parents still need to go through a gray cloud before finding a silver lining, which eventually leads them to see moments of sunshine. My journey through that gray cloud started October of 2016. I’m still a work in progress, but I have already seen the sunshine. It has made me realize that my child doesn’t need to fit some specific mold I had in my mind. It has made me realize that it’s ok if they’re not the fastest, or the tallest, or the smartest. It’s ok if they don’t get to where you want them to go in the time you expect them to get there. It’s ok if what makes them happy isn’t what you had originally imagined.
As much as I strive to advocate for Leo, and I believe people see his worth, I’m not so sure most of them would be thrilled to get a diagnosis for Down Syndrome. I don’t think it makes them bad people. More likely than not, they are just scared of the unknown. They probably have the same mentality I had before joining the #DownSyndromeCommunity. Like many other parents, I was presented an option to terminate the pregnancy because, by law, the doctor had to give me all of my options. However, I know it was presented to me in a way that said, “If you terminate this pregnancy, you shouldn’t feel guilty. No one will judge you because the fetus has Down Syndrome.” So basically, you’re given a ‘get out of jail free card’. That’s the pity card I could have played.
A Down Syndrome diagnosis is not a jail. It is not a negative side of a law passing. It is a blessing in disguise. A disguise that was put on by society because we are scared to get out of our comfort zone and step into an area that might make us a little uncomfortable or make life seem like it will be “harder”. I hope one day the disguise comes off and it is just seen as a blessing from the start. We need to realize that the world could use more people who tend to look at the bright side, even though they feel every single emotion, or see the good parts of people, even when it’s not all good. They can teach others not to be quick to judge, to be kind, and to love without expecting anything in return.
The world needs more people with Down Syndrome.