Sarah Cohen reviews the memoir Shéri – Just The Way I Am by Shéri Brynard
The underlying theme of Shéri – Just The Way I Am by a young woman with Down syndrome is that although facing difficult circumstances is part of growing up, what you do with these circumstances is what determines your happiness.
Shéri Brynard tells how she tackled these life’s challenges with persistence, a strong religious faith, determination and pride, in her own words in the first part of her memoir.
It may be the first time a person with Down syndrome has written about their life themselves, and it reveals how Brynard has dealt with loss and how she has had to put extra effort into everything she does.
It is an inspirational book and it may help the reader to watch a few of the author’s YouTube videos as once you have familiarised yourself with her voice, you are likely to be able to truly identify with her writing.
In Part Two of the book, Shéri’s mother Suzette speaks frankly of how doctors gave her little hope when her daughter was born, as well as an insight into what it was like raising her daughter and how she dealt with moments of trauma, happiness and distress.
Suzette told her daughter about our late president Nelson Mandela who had spent 27 years in jail and yet still remained positive and loving.
She relays to Shéri how he believed in the saying “you are the master of your own destiny and the captain of your soul” in a message that captures the reader’s heart.
The book was proposed by Maretha Maartens, while Colleen Naudé was commissioned to write the manuscript which was translated from Afrikaans to English.
However, although told in Shéri’s own words, there are a few spelling mistakes which let Shéri – Just The Way I Am down.
Brynard has spoken at more than 400 conferences, acted in the television series Binnelanders and is one of the few people with Down syndrome who hold a tertiary teaching diploma. If you are on the hunt for a faith-based inspirational read about growth and determination, this is one for you. Shéri – Just The Way I Am by Shéri Brynard is published by Lux Verbi