The Grand Finale

Just over a month ago, I was entrusted with the most beautiful gifts – precious gems in the shape of stories from around the Down syndrome community.

Thank you Leticia, Jocelyn, Belinda, Kylie, Joelle, Peggy, Elisa, Lucy, Karlea, Ben, Sharnie, Rebecca, Lisa, Kerry, Diane and Kat for entrusting me with your words and photographs, and allowing me to share a piece of your heart in this space. It has been an honour. Thank you for being courageous enough to be vulnerable, for sharing your story with your whole heart.

And thank you to everyone who held out your hands to receive these precious stories in October, who soaked in these words and images and felt them in your heart.

As we conclude with the 31st of 31 posts in October today, I want to set you a challenge. Go back over the month of posts (there’s a list below with links) and choose one of your favourites, then do one of two things. Either write a comment below the post for the writer to find, or send that story out into the Universe by sharing it on social media (or perhaps simply send a link via an email to a friend). When you are writing the comment or sharing it with your friends, tell them what you learned from what you read, how it changed you or what it meant to you. If you have already written a comment or shared a story, thank you.

Leticia ~ Why Bother with Awareness

Jocelyn ~ Choosing Family: a mother’s reflection on having more children after her first baby was born with Down syndrome

Belinda ~ the Monday Meditation series: week 1, week 2, week 3 and week 4

Kylie ~ Country Parenting a Child with Down syndrome

Joelle ~ No Prenatal Diagnosis Can Predict This Kind of Happiness

Peggy ~ Advocating for Your Child in Hospital

Elisa ~ Lessons from Reuben: what my son has taught me about life, Down syndrome and myself

Karlea ~ Jahkai’s Rainbow {wordless Wednesday}

Lucy ~ Emily and Me: growing up with a sister who has Down syndrome

Ben ~ The View from Here: a Dad’s perspective on receiving a prenatal Down syndrome diagnosis

Sharnie ~ Osteopathic Treatment and Management of Children with Down syndrome

Rebecca ~ Ryan’s Surprises

Lisa ~ The Virtue of Stubborn

Kerry ~ Becoming a Forever Mum: loving my foster daughter with Down syndrome

Diane ~ A Tribute to Our Angel named Blake

Kat ~ What a Child with Down Syndrome Might Do

Annie ~ Apples and Oranges: comparing Leukaemia and Down syndrome

Loveisms

Two and a half.

Thank you for sharing in this storytelling journey through October, and for all you have taught me along the way. As is often the way, I have received far more than I could have imagined through being open to the magic and lessons of the stories shared.

~ Annie x

Have the courage to be imperfect, tell the story of who you are with your whole heart. Be willing to let go of who you think you should be in order to be who you are. Vulnerability is the core of shame and fear and our struggle for worthiness, but it appears that it’s also the birthplace of joy, of creativity, of belonging, of love. What makes you vulnerable makes you beautiful.

~ Brene Brown