The Day She Realizes Her Brother Is Autistic

Somedays I wonder about the day she’ll realize how different their relationship is.

Realize most little sisters didn’t speak for their almost 7 year old brothers, or explain things to them, at only 3 years old.

Realize her friends did not usually make sure someone was holding their older sibling’s hand, when crossing the street.

Realize not all sisters rushed to tell their brothers to take a deep breath or that it would be okay, when they were having a meltdown.

Realize the number of times she was quickly handed off to a family member, while mom or dad had to attend to her brother.

Realize how often she had to leave somewhere early because it was too hard for her brother.

In some ways I fear that day. Will she resent us? Or worse, him?

I hope not.

When that day comes I hope she can see how amazing that she was and is.

That she knows no one ever asked her to do those things, she just did and that is astounding.

When it all becomes too much, I pray she knows that while she is a defender of and a comforter for her brother – that she is just as important and just as loved.

I hope she sees the road she’s traveling isn’t easy for either of them, but they will both be better people because they have each other.