I have blogged about the ups and downs and hurts and joys of all friendships. This is Down Syndrome Awareness/Acceptance Month, but I haven’t written too many original blogs. Today, I want to provide encouragement in the form of a pseudo-original blog!

When applying for college programs and scholarships, Rachel needed some recommendations and reference letters. Many were done by  one of her teachers and some by our preschool minister who had coordinated some of Rachel’s volunteer service.  Ruby’s Rainbow had this for one of their bullet points for recommendation letters:

• Note to recommendation letter writer:  Please let us know how you are related to the applicant and how have you been inspired by them.

We knew we could go back to these same letter writers, but I suggested we looked at some of Rachel’s circle of friends.  Rachel chose Hanna and Bethany.  Today, I am going to share Hanna’s letter and I’ll share Bethany’s before the month is over. Hanna and Rachel are the same age.  Read her and I think you’ll see why I hope this letter, this beautiful friendship inspires you.

To Whom It May Concern: 

“One of the most beautiful qualities of a true friendship is to understand and to be understood. – Lucius Annaeus Seneca

 

Rachel Nicole Mast is an encourager, she understands me, and most importantly, she is my best friend. When people see Rachel, they think she is different because she has Down syndrome. On a typical day, you can find Rachel wearing her dark brown hair down with a bedazzled headband. Her favorite color is pink with sparkles, and if you ever meet her, she’ll put our her perfectly manicured hand and expect you to already be her friend.

Rachel and I met at church in the third grade and instantly became best friends. I barely remember when I didn’t have Rachel by my side, pushing me to be the best. Friends come and go, but Rachel never fails me or gives up on me. For Rachel, each day comes with different challenges, and as her best friend, I do everything I can to make her life a little easier. My friendship with Rachel has opened my eyes to the Down Syndrome community. People who are different from me spark an interest and that is what happened with Rachel. She spurred me to become an advocate for people with intellectual disabilities who cannot advocate for themselves.

With the changes in government this past year, individuals with intellectual disabilities fear for their rights. To help voice the need for change, Rachel invited me to the Buddy Walk on Washington, an event where self-advocates and their families lobby Congress. I was one of the first peers – persons without disabilities who are the same age as the self-advocates – to attend and articulate to members of Congress on behalf of friends like Rachel. We spent a whole day talking to all the Kansas Representatives about the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, which protects the rights of people with disabilities.

Each time I walked into one of the offices on Capitol Hill, I wondered why I was there. Was missing school and walking 20,000 steps a day worth Rachel’s future? The answer was evident when each lawmaker asked me ­why I was there to support Rachel. Each time I explained to them that genuine friendship does not occur overnight, does not have limits, and can cross all barriers. Articulating this idea was difficult at first, because I was talking to people who have short attention spans and could hinder Rachel in her journey to becoming a self-sufficient adult. However, once I realized the difference I could make in Rachel’s life, all anxiety drifted away.

Rachel gives me encouragement when I am at my weakest without me ever saying a word. She knows when I want to be funny and when I want to be serious. She knows me better than I know myself and she has inspired me to be an activist. Lucius Annaeus Seneca didn’t have the best friend I have, yet he was able to capture the essence of friendship perfectly.

Sincerely,

Hanna Bradford, friend

 

All of us, Down syndrome or not, should be blessed by such a friendship.

NOTE: Pictures were not included in the letter. I added those!