My sister is one of the most important and inspirational people that I have in my life. At the moment as I'm writing this article my sister is in the Hospital for (I believe) the second or third time just this year, which is what inspired me to write this article. My sister is deaf, has mental retardation, and her disabilities also cause her to suffer from seizures quite often. Although it can be hard to take care of a sibling who has disabilities, my sister has taught me much more than I thought.

My sister has taught me about patience. I laugh at this a little bit because I find it funny my sister taught me this because she is one of the most impatient people I know. I think it's probably because taking care of an impatient person takes patience. I found my own way of having patience through my sister. Sometimes it's just little things... if something makes her laugh, I'll end up doing it over and over for her because she won't let me stop, making me undoubtedly bored, but I do it for her enjoyment. She really enjoys when I stack cups up into a pyramid and then she'll knock them down, and I'll end up having to reset the pyramid over 20 times because she doesn't want it to stop. There are times when I'll get very annoyed at doing that, but this where she taught me patience.

My sister has also taught me about determination. No one is as determined as my sister in my family. When she wants something, she will do whatever it takes to get it. She's so determined that she'll try getting out of her wheelchair (which she is strapped in to) when she wants a specific toy or item from a shelf. Even when she's "tied down" or has obstacles in her way, she'll try to get what she wants. She can't walk that well, but there are times when I'll see my sister standing up, walking over to a door, beyond ready to go out on an adventure, almost as if she doesn't need the wheelchair. If she can fight through the ups and downs of physical and mental disability then I can definitely fight through my latest crisis at school, work or anything else life throws at me. If that's not determination, then I don't know what is!

My sister makes the best with what she's given. She may not fully understand appreciation, but she definitely has helped me understand it. She has made me thankful for my own health and life. It puts everything into perspective for me and helps me appreciate the good in life and not worry so much about the bad. Her health might not be a hundred percent all the time, and she doesn't function the way we do, but she is one of the happiest people I've ever met, always having a smile on her face, and that's what true appreciation is.

There are so many things that my sister has taught me, but I'll leave it with these few I mentioned. She has taught me about love, true happiness, and how not to judge people. Growing up with a sibling with disabilities has been an experience that made me a better person. My sister truly changed my life. But the most important thing I learned from my sister (and other people with disabilities) is that despite having a disability, you can do amazing things and change the lives of those around you.