Apr 1

Written by: cs4aauthor3
4/1/2008 8:01 AM

My sister has a disability and I want to share what it’s like with other people. I think the easiest way to describe it is to look at apples and oranges.

I like apples and oranges, but they’re different. For one thing, an orange has a thick skin that you can’t bite into. An apple’s skin is smooth and you can sink your teeth in. Most people are more like apples. My sister is like an orange—you have to peel off the thick bitter outer layer to get to the good stuff.

Secondly, an orange has seeds that are mixed in with the fruit—an apple has a core and you can eat around the seeds and avoid them easily. My sister is like an orange—if you accidentally eat the seeds, you’ll be okay, but most of us are like apples—and apple seeds are poisonous.

Thirdly, an orange is well—orange. An apple can be pink, red, golden, green, yellow, but not orange. My sister is like an orange—she has a sweet orange glow, the rest of us are apples—changeable and you better wait till they’re ready or you’ll get a sour mouthful.

Fourth, an orange can be sour or sweet but it’s always juicy. Apples are less juicy and less sweet. My sister is just like an orange—she can be sour or sweet but she’s always full of stories and flavor. As for us apples, you have to bite in and chew to get the full flavor.

And finally, an orange has segments that you can break apart and eat one at a time. You usually have to slice or bite an apple apart. My sister is like an orange—she’s more open and generous than most of us—she is easier to understand. But apples—you have to be willing to work to get to the good part.

Just in case you think being an orange or an apple is all about being different, I think we should remember some things that oranges and apples have in common: (1) they’re both fruit and full of vitamins, (2) you can make juice from either one, (3) you’re supposed to eat them everyday, (4) they’re round, they’re smaller than your head and bigger than your mouth, and (5) they taste good.

Finally, in life, whether we’re apples or oranges, it’s a mouthful to try to explain or to understand somebody else.

Please go to I-CAN's site for more articles of interest to children with upper limb differences.

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