My Daughter's Almond Shaped Eyes Show Me Different Is Beautiful

These almond shaped eyes.

Every time I look into my daughter’s eyes, I feel I can see deeply into her soul. There is no definite color, I see green, grey, blue and brown. She’s some kind of beautiful and I can’t help but thank God each and every day for her, and for making her the way I believe He did.

The fact is, most days I “forget” she has Down syndrome, I see her as my daughter, my Jordan Grace. Her beauty radiates through her big heart, her smiles, her personality and those sweet eyes that showcase her being.

Our little lady is 3 years old, but when we first found out about her diagnosis of Trisomy 21, we knew she would look different. The thought of her standing out to others or maybe getting ugly stares, was something I imagined in my heart would be extremely hurtful.

The stares have gone away, or maybe I just learned how to ignore the ignorant. I feel like she wins people over with how friendly she is; she has a way of pulling people into her circle by just being her precious little self. She makes me proud to be her mother.

Those almond shaped eyes were something scary to me because I had no knowledge of what they truly meant. I feared the unknown, I feared “different” and “unique.” Those are the things I now value the most.

Being different is what we all are! Different is good and should be celebrated, because if we were all the same, life would be boring. The uniqueness we each bring to this world opens up the doors of understanding, compassion and respect. But what we truly need to focus on is inclusion. Including those who may teach us a thing or two about a different point of view and a different way of life.

Though the eyes of people with Down syndrome may be an imperfection to some people, having Down syndrome and almond shaped eyes does not make someone less worthy of life. We all have a purpose in this world and each of us is a spice in this great melting pot.

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