Limitless Determination

Today's prompt had me torn between 3 perspectives: 

• a reflection on how truly privileged I am to have sight, and how easy it is to forget this and to simply look, but not see 
• my gratitude for the creation of Braille, not necessarily in how it has changed my life, but in knowing that those who are visually impaired can still experience the imaginings that written words can inspire *cue my favourite poem, in Braille, which in itself is quite beautiful to see*
• my memories of the first time I really comprehended the fact that some people cannot experience the world as I can, and the book that inspired this.

I've gone with number 3, but today's prompt has also inspired moments of quiet contemplation on 1 and 2, which I am really just so grateful for. Due to the fact that this post isn't creative writing, it will possibly (almost certainly) meander. Put your hiking boots on Betty.


Day 4: today is World Braille Day. Share your thoughts.

When we are little we are invincible. We may screech and shriek at creepy crawlies and the thought of big, scary crocodiles under our bed *personal share*, but we are fearless and open and ready at a moment's notice to take on the world. Children, for all of their outwardly appearing fragility, can be the most resilient little buggers. When we're little, our inquiring minds and unfailing honesty somehow make us far less fearful of the myriad of things that can (and do) go wrong in life. I'm sure you've heard it before: a small child encounters someone in a wheelchair who may be disabled or somehow physically different, and they turn to their parent(s) and loudly, without shame or malice, ask,
"Mommy, why is that lady's arm waving around all funny?"
"Daddy, why is that man sitting in a chair and not walking?"
"What is wrong with her legs, where did they go?"
"Why is he shaking like that?"   

These types of questions are normally quickly followed up with responses like "Shhh honey you can't say that" or "Shoosh that's rude, we don't talk like that". 

Except, to a child who hasn't experienced physical disadvantage, it's not a condemnation but a curiosity. And this is where my long-winded intro leads to my first comprehension of visual impairment as a child.

I have always loved to read. My mom taught me how from the age of 4, and by the time I was going to school I would pretty much read anything you put in front of me. Sometimes, when I am feeling anxious or need to focus my mind, I read ingredients labels on whatever is at hand - shampoo bottles, cans, jars, you name it. **This is a COMPLETE divergence and not at all relevant to the topic, but hey, it's yours now. Like your literary version of a Stikeez toy.*

Anyhow, back on topic. So, one of the series of books I was given to read as a child was the ValueTales Series and the book that stood out the most was
The Value of Determination: The Story of Helen Keller.

I remember asking, many times in fact, "Why?". Why was she blind? Why was she deaf? Why couldn't they "fix" her? Why didn't she give up? Because, as a child who is born with full function of sight, hearing, motor skill, etc. the world is an infinite universe of wonderful possibilities. Why would we not all have that wonderfulness? 

I remember thinking (before the lesson at the end of the book) I couldn't do that, I would just give up. Because life without sight must be tough. It must be a level of tough that I cannot even begin to comprehend or put appropriate words to. The subject of my book would soon show me though, that when faced with adversity so incomprehensible, the power and resilience of little ones astounds. 


Case in point: Helen Keller was left deaf & blind after contracting an illness when she was just under 2 years old. Despite the overwhelming odds stacked against her, she was adamant that she would communicate, and communicate she did! She became known as a world-renowned advocate for people with disabilities, obtaining a BA Degree, publishing many notable works and giving inspiring speeches all over the world. In her extensive travels she met many foreign dignitaries, befriended artists, inventors, literary greats, the list goes on. She met every single US President who held office between 1885 - 1963. Did you know that Helen Keller could tell who had walked into a room based on the vibrations of their footsteps? It's reported that she could even distinguish the age & gender by the way their footfalls fell.


When I had finished reading Helen Keller's ValueTale I remember looking around, as if I had never really seen everything around me; I remember really listening to everything I was hearing; I remember the feeling of both inspiration and admonishment that If she can do ALL OF THAT, I have NO excuse to EVER give up. So, even though I was filled with the sadness of now knowing that there was such a thing as losing your sight, I was inspired by the fact that this loss does not mark you as "valueless", or prevent you from functioning within society. This rings even more true looking at the creation, refinement & adoption of the Braille Alphabet. 


I guess, after all the meandering, what today represents to me (historical figures aside) is that the human spirit can be a truly unconquerable force. This has only been reinforced by reading more about the inspirational people in history who have been partially or completely blind. So I'll leave you to ponder this thought:

Perhaps there is a shared perspective in how the world is seen by both a child & a person with visual impairment? Perhaps there is simpatico between the fearlessness (or heedlessness) of physical boundaries that children show, and the unconquerable determination to overcome unseen "boundaries" shown by people such as Helen Keller and Louis Brialle.

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