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Autism! I swear I had no clue what this term meant. All I remember was seeing my parents taking some sincere efforts behind my baby sister. They were constantly trying. And I as, a child of approx 3 years old, could do nothing but just be there. But my parents’ act of service definitely created an urge of acceptance in me. Since then I have looked upon Neha as my own baby doll. Giving her a bath, putting her to bed, and playing with her was all I knew. I just knew my baby sister was someone special.
Neha is my world. She’s the air I breathe. If people have known me they have known Neha. Neha for me is the biggest blessing. I am what I am today is the only cause of the belief my sister has confirmed in me. Neha is an extrovert, her smile and her energy are contagious. Extremely humble, very loving, always cheerful, and immensely caring. Her favorite color is red and she has a great interest in shopping. Along with being autistic, she’s also nonverbal. But that doesn’t stop her from being herself. She just owns herself. And that’s the most important thing I have acquired from being her sister.
In the year 2013, I was diagnosed with clinical depression. My condition was getting worse. Panic attacks, anxiety, insomnia. But Neha’s faith and love for me helped me bounce back stronger. I’ll never forget her hugs when I used to sit alone and be lost in my thoughts. Nor will I forget this baby staying up all night and checking on me periodically to see if I was crying. I used to long to return home and spend time in my safe place that’s her arms. Her selflessness got me so motivated that today I am successful not only personally but also socially. She’s taught me to be vulnerable, honest, tolerant and the most important lesson in my life -To Forgive. I can go on and on about thousands of things this child of mine has taught me and the ten thousand memories she’s given me.
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Saarthi: Sibling Support Network India is a community of siblings of children/adults with intellectual & developmental disabilities (IDD) and other disabilities. Siblings can connect with other siblings , voice out their experiences, share their journey and tips that helped them along, seek mental health support , initiate steps towards future planning and get decision making support and also participate in research on sibling studies.
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/siblingsupportnetworkindia/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/saarthi_ssn YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvdwVFb0YxQJOlUS6t4JwrQ
If you are a sibling based in India or of Indian Origin, we welcome you to join Saarthi ! 🙂 Please fill the form : https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSek-L7cRq0SrlYffF0Fv9LYqHuFGrUhyAxBe2f5LT9BS9dU8Q/viewform?usp=sf_link
Read another blog by a sibling Tales of Saarthi: Parth and his twin sisters Vishruti – Vishruta
