Having a member in the family with FASD has its challenges to say the least. I often wonder how my other 3 children are affected by this. Yesterday we brought my youngest daughter, Harriet, to a store to have her ears pierced. We asked her if she wanted her sister, Nokomis, diagnosed with FASD, to come along. This was our birthday gift to Harriet and didn’t want to spoil it for her by risking the potential trauma that can occur when visiting places like this. We had made arrangements for Nokomis to stay with friends in case Harriet said no to the idea. To my great pleasure Harriet said she wanted her sister to come. She knew that bringing her had its risks but also knew that her sister would also enjoy watching the events.
This is a good thing on many levels. Harriet chose the more difficult option because she wanted her sister to be happy. Her desire to see her sister happy demonstrates a willingness to forgive Nokomis for all of the times she has hit her, called her names, and taken her things. By making the choice she made, Harriet has shown some understanding of her sisters’ condition. Harriet and I have talked and prayed about Nokomis being a blessing from God for our family. My hope is that this is God at work in her.