An angel in disguise | Story | Down’s Syndrome | Bookosmia

She had always been ‘The favorite child’, like a better version of me and this broke me in every possible way. She had always been daddy‘s little girl and the perfect daughter, I could never be. Being born with ‘Down syndrome’ made her so pure and innocent, she was proof that imperfection is flawless. Mother’s hugs, father’s bedtime stories and my older brothers advice had all vanished into thin air once ‘Pari’ was born. I know people are shades of gray but she only had a white side, which confused me.

‘Pari’ was a perfect name for her as her beauty and goodness were as magical as in angels. The child inside her inspired me but the fact that she always got away with everything made me filled with anger and envy. This is why I put all my energy and time into drawing out her dark side, which I thought was the real her. Everyone pitied her but according to me she was the luckiest girl. I wanted to unleash the demon in her, so started treating her like Cinderella’s stepsisters.

Pari was puzzled at my behavior but blaming her for everything, ignoring her, irritating her and scolding her didn’t change anything about her, she was as beautiful in the inside as she had ever been.  She was not selfish like ordinary human beings, simply flawless. My every attempt to bring out her darkness was overpowered by her goodness and selflessness.

Mother noticed my strange behavior towards her and decided to have a conversation with me. She felt guilty when I finally explained the situation to her after a lot of hesitation and cups of hot chocolate. I stopped bottling up my feelings and let my guard down. Mother told me that she loved both of us equally and gave me a whole sermon about it. She even read out some quotes from Pinterest.

The next day we went for a picnic and my insecurity wasn’t holding me back anymore. My sister and I laughed at my father’s jokes together, we spilled orange juice all over my brother Rehan. The dancing daisies, shimmering pond and buzzing bees helped my sister and me strengthen the bond between us.
This girl who I thought had stolen my spotlight ended up teaching me a lot of lessons and made me a better person. She guided me to the right path and inspired me. She brought out the best in me and gave me the push I needed in the right direction.