http://www.scarymommy.com/why-i-learned-to-love-being-albino/
It's very true that persons with albinism stand out. We've been going to the same pediatricians' office (a large practice) for the past almost 9 years, but it wasn't until we started bringing Emily there last summer that anybody remembered us. In part, this is good because it means that we've rarely been there with the boys and that they've always been pretty healthy. The other reason why we've never been very memorable is because, while we surely think that our boys are really handsome kids, they don't stand out in the way that Emily does. People don't forget her. The same sort of thing happens when we go to Target or to the grocery store or to watch the boys' soccer games. People call out "Hi Emily!" or "there she is!" They remember her because her white hair makes her stand out from the crowd.
Some in the albinism families group note that their children are sometimes ridiculed for their white hair. Thankfully, we have not had that happen yet. There are plenty of young children in the U.S. with white-blonde hair. It's not all that unusual. There are also plenty of adults who pay to have a lot at salons to have white-blonde hair! Most of the people who meet us just say something like "what beautiful blonde hair!" I'll take that. It's a positive comment.
The fact is that Emily will always stand out in some way. She is distinctive looking (and beautiful - if I do say so myself). Her skin will never tan (and we'll do our best to make sure it never burns) and her hair will never darken like most people's does over time. People will remember her because of how she looks.
Like the blog points out, that can be a source of concern for a teenager who just wants to blend in, but I hope that we can instill in Emily the overall message of the blog post. The message is that she is memorable. And, being memorable can mean that you use the fact that you stand out from the crowd to mean something more than just being memorable because you have albinism. Rather, it can be that people remember her (initially, for her looks) because of her heart and her mind or for her kindness and generosity or for her wit or for her good work in the world.
I also love that the blog post doesn't limit this ability to stand out to people who have albinism. You can be memorable because of ANYTHING that makes you stand out from the crowd: your gorgeous red hair, your height, your cute freckles, your petite stature, your height, your curls, your singing voice, your dimples, etc... Once you are memorable for some reason, then use that to make people remember not JUST how you look, but something even better!
I'd love it if Emily can look back one day and feel the way the author of this blog post does...that being memorable is a GIFT. I want her to feel that having albinism gave her the initial ability to be noticed and remembered, but that because of how she lives her life, what really lasts in people's minds is her spirit, heart, and mind.
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