7
I had a hard time seeing. Everything was blurry, and most of all, everything was gray. There was no black and white. In a short amount of time, I realized that I might need some corrective lenses...and that's when Zoey handed me a pair of rose colored frames.
My new glasses felt a little funny. I'd never really worn them before and wasn't even sure they fit correctly, but I gave them a shot. Everything seemed a little brighter, a little more vibrant, but I still wasn't sure. Was I really cut out to wear glasses? I thought I was seeing things just fine before.
After a bit, everything took on color, even Zoey after her heart surgery. The senseless seemed more manageable and faith overtook doubt. Gray did not intrude on living, instead, joy shined through whenever I wore my glasses.
Sure, there were times I chose to take them off. There were times I threw them across the room, there were even times I contemplated stepping on them. But each time, Zoey kept going, so I did too.
But how did such a little baby know about these glasses? How did she know to give them to me. The amazing thing is, Zoey has a pair of rose colored glasses herself.
She was born wearing them.
The blueprints for her glasses were located on her third 21st chromosome, and they genetically formed right into her very being. Within her genetic makeup, she contains the secret to living a beautiful life: optimism, perseverance, and joy.
She does not choose these traits, they are in every cell in her body. She exudes beauty and faithfulness because this is her nature. Zoey's rose colored glasses are not a mark of her ignorance or her foolishness, they are a symbol of her ability to strive in an unfair world. And she didn't have to buy these glasses, shop around for them, or try them on for size, they just came perfectly tailor made for her.
I figured, 'If she can wear these all the time, so can I." So I do. Or at least I try.
Some might say they look silly or are impractical, but they are working out perfectly for me. And ultimately, I don't have a choice whether or not I wear them. I owe it to Zoey Grace to never take them off.
Zoey did not choose Down
syndrome for herself, nor did she
choose any of the battles that she has
encountered in her existence. This is
beyond human control. I wish I could take on
some of her suffering, but unfortunately, unfairly, I cannot.
What I can do is to everyday choose optimism. I can choose my attitude. I can choose to pray. I can rejoice in the peace of Christ and in the unimaginable promise that both my life and Zoey's life hold. I can choose to embrace this emphemeral life for all it's worth.
And from my point of view, life is looking pretty rosy these days.
Do you have a story to share? Let's Hear it!
Cailtin's amazing tribute to her sister was published in the book "Gifts". You can also follow Zoey's journey by clicking HERE to be directed to the family blog.
www.LittleWonders-Heather.blogspot.com