“Where does your sister go to college?”
While the response to this question comes easily to most, I struggle to produce a quick explanation. My sister will not go to college. Miranda is at level three on the autism spectrum—she cannot speak and requires highly increased support from those around her.
Miranda and I spent our toddler years carefree, learning the way my family functioned, and thriving in the slightly chaotic, yet loving environment. Starting preschool, I realized that none of my peers understood my family dynamic. Curious, my friends flocked toward Miranda as I eagerly taught them how to communicate with her. Newly understanding the uniqueness of Miranda’s situation, I developed a fascination with her education. I spent hours sitting at the bottom of our basement stairs, silently observing Miranda’s OT sessions, constantly longing for further understanding so I could better share my love for her.
Unfortunately, maturing taught me that my companions’ open-mindedness didn’t apply to everyone. Screaming and refusing to move from her squatted position on the floor, Miranda drew many stares on one fateful trip to the aquarium while protesting our departure. Rather than the understanding community I was used to, we were met with hostility and judgment as parents pulled their kids away, some even filming Miranda’s tantrum. Disappointment at the unempathetic attitude of the ‘real world’ toward my sister further developed my determination to spread awareness.
By age 11, I stood as a more adequate babysitter for Miranda than any hired help, as I understood her needs on a deeper level. Even assisting in her homeschooling, I was placed in numerous unusual, yet eagerly welcomed leadership positions. These situations not only led me to develop a strong quality of responsibility and independence, but also confirmed the power of my passion, which I later exercised by presenting a TedTalk on AAC, and now utilize to craft meaningful Op/Eds for my school’s newspaper.
Miranda will not go to college. But, as I move on to tackle university life, I take a piece of her influence with me in the form of dependability, empathy, and passion.