The Importance Of An Open Mind free essay sample

The bleak morning of Sunday, October 4th, 2010, found me huddled against my mothers car, the weather far too cold for my sweatshirt and jeans ensemble. A coffee cup, too small to make a dent in my sleep debt, was clutched in my fingers. I was examining the reflection of my criminally bright t-shirt on the side of the car while mentally preparing myself for the event ahead: the Buddy Walk. Down Syndrome has been a major part of my life since I was two, when my little sister was introduced into a new and hostile world mostly ignorant to her needs. It didnt take me long to morph into the protective, supportive older sister I can still boast today; ever since I can remember Ive been supplying words for her when the adults dont understand, adjusting the game so she can play, too, grumbling only a bit when she performs one of her Houdini stunts and disappears from right under our noses. We will write a custom essay sample on The Importance Of An Open Mind or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Because of her Ive learned to look at the world with new eyes, to take a second glance and really feel something about what I see. Her life is the event that has made me able to say that I am an open-minded person. The Buddy Walk isnt the only volunteering opportunity Ive done this year; one look at my records will confirm that. The reason I chose it to represent what I stand for is because its so close to my heart. Her life story is tied so inextricably with my belief that any obstacle can be overcome that I wonder sometimes who Id be if she hadnt been born. When I see someone in a wheelchair, I think of her struggle to control her own muscles. When I see a deaf person, I remember the years of silent communication before she learned to speak. Even when I encounter someone who doesnt know English very well, every single second spent divining my sisters garbled speech comes rushing back. Its because of her Ive learned to see disabilities not as limitations, but as challenges. This is true for my everyday life, for hers, and for every other insurmountable problem facing us today. As I stood with hundreds of other t-shirt clad, smiling supporters of Down Syndrome, I felt that belief grow stronger. Each one of the disabled attendees were happily climbing into the bouncy house, marveling at the shiny red firetruck, singing and laughing and dancing to their favorite song as it blared from the speakers. In every face shined the hope that our race wouldnt be overwhelmed with its limitations, consumed with prejudice and disgust and ignorance. We were standing for a better, more well-informed world that would embrace differences, and I was as glad as any that I was lucky enough to understand the importance of open-mindedness.