Disappointment defined

While I always thought I understood the word "disappointment" I found out you can know a word and its meaning, but until you experience it it doesn't register fully. 

     I became a team lead at my job in May of 2014. I was over a department and people. I had a wonderful department manager who helped nurture me and teach me the ins and outs of management. He taught me what to look for on resumes and how to conduct phone and in-person interviews. When hiring people you get good and bad ones. I saw a lot of different types of people apply. 

     Then there was a dad who approached my store director about the possibility of his daughter working for us. You have to be 18 to work at my job, so it was weird for a father to come in and talk up his daughter. He told us his daughter has autism. The high school she went to had work study program for special needs students. She had worked stocking for a grocery store and another store. My store director approached me with this possibility.

     I knew it could be difficult, but I wanted to help her in any way. I interviewed her and she was got overwhelmed and began to cry. It broke my heart. She wanted to do so well, but when she got flustered she couldn't speak so that just added on to it all. I knew after that I wanted to hire her. Her father had said no one else would even interview her. It took time to get her acclimated and find things where she could work and not get overwhelmed. I was proud to work for my store and under my store director to allow me to hire someone who may not be conventional. 

     Let's jump forwards to today. My older sister came in my work and tried to find me. She asked the girl I've spoken about where I was. She became flustered, and my sister became agitated. When my sister found she asked, "what's wrong with her?" I informed her about her situation. But then she said it. The sentence that made me understand the word "disappointment". She asked me why I would do that. I didn't understand what she meant. I have watched the employee mentioned grow and develop over the past few months. 

     My mother always raised me to respect and accept others -no matter the circumstance. I thought she had raised us all that way, but when my older sister asked why I would give someone a chance when no one else would my heart broke. I hope I can no harbor this disappointment against my sister for long, but it's hard. I just hope more people are more open minded.