My Brother & The Power of Milk Moments

""I hate you, Aditi! I hate you!" my little brother screamed to me just minutes after my college graduation. As I pressed the outside corner of my eye to prevent a tear from escaping, I reminded him not to use hurtful words when he feels upset. Together we searched for the source of his frustration and then addressed it: we would get "New York" pizza once the crowds cleared. At the time, my little brother, Anand, was not so little -- he was thirteen. Anand was born with cataracts, faced some developmental delays while growing up, and at the age of twelve with the onset of severe seizures, was diagnosed with both autism and epilepsy. I coordinate Anand's care for my family, building relationships with his doctors and educators. I haven't yet missed an appointment or teacher conference, even if I can only call in on the phone." In this moving piece, a young student at Harvard describes how the process of supporting her brother's journey in small, constant ways that she dubbed "milk moments", taught her a profound life lesson about what we are here for.

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