Even if the sky is falling down

You know what I realized the other day? I realized that I am a damn caring human being. I will never, ever, not even for a second give up on any one person. I think part of it is the teacher in me. I mean, growing up in a home that was completely wrapped around the needs of an autistic child must have had an effect on me. And the influence wasn't even the type that came from seeing all of the wonderful support he had. It was from seeing the frustrated glances shot at him, hearing the mumbled comments from teachers, and watching even my own father absolutely lose total control over himself because he had no idea how to help this child. So he gave up. They all gave up on him. And there was something inside me that said "This isn't fair."
So I took him in.
I remember being upstairs doing my homework and hearing a sudden outburst of fists slamming on tables, frustrated screams, and the quiet sobs of my baby brother. At that point, I knew it was my que to rescue the poor kid. I would come downstairs and wrap my arms around my crying little prodigy and tell my father to go away. He would usually fight me on it, screaming at me to shut up and go away, but I was stubborn. Eventually my father would leave and I would get my brother to calm down and we would work through the homework. It was all about figuring out his specific needs. Obviously the way his teachers had been explaining it to him wasn't working. So I would sit there, looking arounf the kitchen to find things to best demonstrate long division. We would sit there for an hour counting little pieces of candy, pencils, erasers, anything I could find to make him understand visually. And you know what? He got it. He understood it so well after that point that he could do the work in his head and his teachers cdidn't understand how he was getting the right answers without showing his work.
He used to come home with failing science and history tests because he didn't know how to study. So I would look at his planner to see when his next test would be and I would pick out all of the important terms and events from his textbook and make flashcards, tons of flashcards. And I would lay them out on the floor, turning it into a big game. He would have to match the terms to their meanings, and the reward? He didn't need one. Just knowing that he got it right was enough to make his heart soar. And you know what? His next test grade would be an 85, not a 53.
And now, he doesn't need any extra help. He is a ninth grader at NSJHS and he is in no special classes and he gets straight A's.
And while I give myself none of the credit for his success, I pat myself on the back for not giving up on him. He had too many teachers get impatient with him, one who blatantly called him stupid, and a broken heart. But all he needed was a little faith, a little help, and something to believe in: himself.
I never gave up on my brother. I never gave up on my father. Most people would consider him a monster if they heard the stories from when I was young, and there were times when I was convinced that he was a monster. I mean, I suppose I never really could have the choice to say "Dad, I give up on you", but I suppose I could have chosen to remain distant from him. I think I was on that track for a long time...until I learned about his addiction to cocaine, and how he went through rehab for the sake of my mother and his future children. Besides, after living in Europe for two weeks with his mother and ultimately gaining an understanding of the hell he must have gone through living with her for seventeen years, the only thing I could do was realize how strong he must have been and still be for overcoming horrific amounts of abuse from his family and himself.
And now look. Our relationship is better than ever.
Everyone deserves a second chance, and sometimes everyone needs to be taken care of, and I will always be the person who is willing to do that. Yes, sometimes it takes a lot out of me. Sometimes it takes more strength than I think I have, but in the end, it's worth it.
Never give up, because if we lost our support system everytime we made a mistake, we would all be alone. And what kind of world is that to live in?
Keep Going and love forever.