The Struggle In Life: The Challenges Of Life

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People face challenges every day. In the morning we struggle to wake up for the day ahead of us. At school we struggle to complete the last answer on our test before the clock runs out. We struggle to make decisions, to avoid confrontation, and to except others. I myself struggle with many of these things. However, in my opinion there there are much larger challenges in life. It is very difficult for me to choose just one challenge to tell you about because my life has been filled with many. Please excuse me if I sound self absorbed, for I know there are many people in the world with greater challenges. Yet, mine are very important to me because they have made me the person I am today. I could tell you about how I was diagnosed with a speech …show more content…

Riley never played with other kids, for he preferred to be on his own. While Riley eventually spoke, communication remained complicated because his brain often missed conversation cues. Melt downs and screaming occurred often in my house because Riley had difficulty with anything that changed his routine. For example, leaving the house had to be scheduled and approved by Riley or a full blown tantrum would shake the house. As you can imagine Riley’s needs and behavior made life very difficult. Friend hangouts rarely took place at my house because my friends were uncomfortable around Riley. Family outings became stressful, for a melt down could occur at any moment. I often felt embarrassed to be related to my brother, and that thought always filled me with guilt. It took a long time for me to come to terms with Riley 's identity. I will not lie; I still have moments when I wish that Riley was not my brother. However, I always immediately regret my childish …show more content…

While my brothers have taught me various lessons, I believe Riley’s lesson is the most important. Throughout life I have experienced many reactions to Riley’s disability. I have seen bullies terrorize my brother because he’s different. I have listened to a women ask my mother to control her child because of Riley’s behavior. These moments always infuriated me. Nevertheless, these events also taught me a very important lesson- to not judge others. Riley’s disability taught me that you cannot judge a person unless you really know them. While teachers always told us this instruction in school I had never truly understood their message until recently. Now when my friends use the words “retard” or “sped” I think of Riley and immediately correct them. Being Riley’s sister has made me realize that it is not fair to judge others because I would never want anyone to judge Riley. For a long time, I saw being Riley’s sister as a curse; however, I have realized that it is more of a blessing than a curse. As I have expressed, living with Riley is certainly no piece of cake, but I still love him. Riley has not only taught me a valuable lesson but he has also made me a better person. That is why I can not imagine my life without

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