This week for my reflection I read The New York Times article, “My Banished Brother.” This was an article in the health section, detailing the author’s personal story about how she dealt with having a brother who was “banished” because he was born severely disabled and had Down Syndrome. The author’s parents believed that having a “vegetable” son was a sign of punishment or wrong doing from God and sent him away to be a ward of the state.   They did not let their other three children ask about their brother, Jimmy. The only time the author visited her brother was right before he died, but she was able to learn about who he was and how he impacted others’ lives. The author is now living with the regret of not meeting her brother before and not being a part of his life.

While I do not have a sibling who was sent away, I feel I can relate to this article very much still. Learning to value and always cherish your family members no matter what was an important lesson from this article. In my personal life, I worry about losing touch and growing apart from my mom who is six hours away. I have so much schoolwork it is a rare occasion for me to go home, so I constantly feel guilty about not spending more time with her. It is hard sometimes to put aside time for family time, but it is never something I regret doing. This article was a nice reminder for me that not only is it important to accept and embrace differences, but also to cherish your family while you can.