Walking down the aisle of a store.
She is pushing the cart.
And receives crude looks.
Stares that make people think they’re better.
They aren’t.

She sits at the table.
Her hair in her face, smacking the table with her hand.
We feed her food, and play around with her.
A little boy calls her a monster.
She isn’t.

She sleeps peacefully in her bed.
But when she wakes in the midst of the night,
I am the one there to watch her.
Friends think I’m crazy for staying up so late.
I’m not.

We all sacrifice to take care of her.
I miss one of the biggest parties of my life.
I complain and something goes wrong.
She had a seizure and I panicked.
She’s okay.

We cherish her, and every member of the family.
To us, she’s normal.
Everyone else is out of place.
She sings for us, and gives us reasons to laugh.
It inspires us.

We see her fall from walking.
She doesn’t cry or scream.
But she picks herself back up.
She’s just that tough.
And that makes my day, everyday.

She is my reason for everything.
I wouldn’t have as much patience.
I would be the one giving weird stares.
Without her, I wouldn’t have an ideal career.
She made me who I am today.

I will get annoyed by her.
But I love her, my whole family does.
She cheers for us no matter what.
She isn’t bias, and doesn’t give a damn.
Her love is unconditional.

She has mitochondrial disease.
Heart problems. She’s special needs.
but that makes her extra special.
Because that’s what she is.