I’m not one for watching reality television. I remember the first season of The Real World and that’s about it. I don’t like watching people make fools of themselves and dislike even more, the insulting and heartbreaking comments that spew out of judges on competition shows like American Idol. This year was different for me though. While I didn’t watch the opening rounds of America’s Got Talent, I did tune in when I heard about Christina and Ali, two sisters who were competing on the show and who both battle cystic fibrosis.
My daughter has cystic fibrosis, so the issue is certainly close to my heart. I watched the clips of their performances online and supported them along with the rest of the CF community. They were told they would never sing, and while they certainly aren’t the best technical singers as judge Piers Morgan would say, they are better than I am and they do have guts and spirit.
That spirit was instilled in them by their parents. It’s hard to be the parent of one child with a special need, never mind four. And cystic fibrosis leaves parents constantly waiting for the cold to spread into a lung infection and a hospital stay and lung damage and a possible early death. If anyone knows the harsh realities of CF, it’s Christina and Ali’s parents who have already lost one child to the condition. But still, after having watched a sibling die from the very condition they live with everyday, Christina and Ali stood up on that stage and smiled. They aren’t pessimistic. They are gloomy. They are hopeful and optimistic and insightful. And they got that from their parents.
It is up to us as parents to help our children, special needs or not, to reach their fullest potential, to find the good in life and to keep fighting, even when others try to push you down. Even when your own body tries to stop you. It is our job, as parents, to teach our children compassion and understanding. Good grades can take you far, but won’t get you love and friendship. You have to have heart. You have to set goals, even when doctors try to tell you your dreams are impossible. It’s the parents’ job to teach their children otherwise. Nothing is impossible. Christina and Ali proved that by making it to the Top Ten on America’s Got Talent and showing the world that life is what you make it.