See My Daughter as a Life, Nothing Less
Many people in this world think that having a disabilitiy makes you less of a person somehow. They may not say it aloud or in those words, but instead they show it through their pity and uneducated assumptions. When Madilyn was a baby and a toddler, I could not count all the times that a complete stranger's mere glance at her would instantly change their smile into a look of sadness. They reacted to the fact that she looked different without even considering that just maybe she was the happiest child in the world. It's not at all surprising that we react this way. Perhaps it's just human nature for people to form our first opinions by taking in what we see and basing them on the connections of experiences we've had in the past. But having a child that looks different than most has taught me first-hand to ignore those initial judgments. I witnessed my own newborn baby fight for life in the first seconds after entering this world. I am amazed at the miracle that such a tiny being struggling for her first breaths wouldn't just succomb to the fight. What was it in her exactly that gave her the strength to overcome all that was against her? Was it God? Was it her Soul? Was it the power of Prayer? Could it be contributed to science and the medical team who revived her? Or, was it all of this and perhaps more? I believe it was a higher power.
As adults, we tend to look at our family and friends as a reason to pull through; The struggle may be cancer or depression, or maybe just a rough day. Many times we pursue them directly to help us during the battle. But an infant doesn't have these experiences. The only connections she's had is from within the womb. Madilyn and I had a connection that I cannot put into words, as I'm sure every mom knows and others can imagine; I don't even try to explain it because I don't think it's even possible to encapsulate all that is with words. Could this kindred tie to me be enough to drive everything inside her to find a way back to me? Maybe this is too presumptious. I don't have the answers but I know what I believe.
Whatever lies within her, and perhaps within us all, that keeps her going every day is the beauty I want others to acknowledge first. See her spirit. See her innate desire to live. Nurture this and you will support her through everything she will ever struggle with in life.
