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As a parent, and a grandparent, I remember what it’s like to run after a toddler, especially from 1-2 years of age. They are fascinated by everything, and it’s a natural part of their developmental stage to want to see, touch, and feel. What I can’t imagine is to have to watch my once healthy child, have to struggle living in a world of darkness and silence.
I can’t imagine as parents being told that my child will never see or hear again. Most of all, I can’t imagine being the child who wakes up to darkness and silence and has no idea why. You talk about a panic feeling; to me this truly has to be one. A child is always afraid of the dark once they have known the light.
I can’t even begin to understand the fear and panic that Helen Keller must have felt as she first comprehended the fact that she could no longer see or hear. If you’re like me, most of you have heard the story of Helen Keller and are amazed by it, but never really thought about all the emotions and fears that must have been involved.
At nineteen months of age, due to an illness, Helen Keller was never to see or hear again. Overnight, her life changed and it would never be the same. If truth be known, I’m sure that many people thought her accomplishments would be few if any, other than learning to care for herself.
However, in May 1888 Keller attended the Perkins Institute for the Blind. In 1894, she and Anne Sullivan moved to New York to attend the Wright-Humason School for the Deaf and Horace Mann School for the Deaf. In 1896, they returned to Massachusetts and Keller entered The Cambridge School for Young Ladies before gaining admittance, in 1900, to Radcliffe College. Finally in 1904, at the age of 24, Keller graduated from Radcliffe magna cum laude, becoming the first deaf blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree.
She went on to become a world-famous speaker and author. She is remembered as an advocate for people with disabilities amid numerous other causes. In 1915, she and George Kessler founded the Helen Keller International (HKI) organization. This organization is devoted to research in vision, health and nutrition. In 1920, she helped to found the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Keller and Sullivan traveled to over 39 countries, making several trips to Japan and becoming a favorite of the Japanese people. Keller met every US President from Grover Cleveland to Lyndon B. Johnson and was friends with many famous figures, including Alexander Graham Bell, Charlie Chaplin, and Mark Twain.
Then on June 1, 1968, Helen Keller died, but not her legacy. In 1999, Keller was listed in Gallup’s Most Widely Admired People of the 20th Century. In 2003, Alabama honored its native daughter on its state quarter, and soon the Helen Keller Hospital in Sheffield, Alabama was to be dedicated to her, as well as a street. In 1984, her life story was made into a TV movie called “The Miracle Continues.”
These are just a few of the things that she is remembered for. Isn’t it ironic that this blind woman came to the point of being able to see reality better than some of us can? We have our sight, yet so many of us live in darkness. We can’t see the good, for not being able to see past the bad. We tend to dwell on the obstacles and all the what if’s more than the desired outcome.
We are all blind to certain things and we need to learn and be willing to take our blinders off. We do this partly, just by knowing who we are and what we believe in, and by knowing what our part is. We are all not created with the same gifts, desires, and calling, but we’re all called. And I personally am glad of that. To me there is nothing sadder than having to always stand on the sidelines and watch, and never being put in the game.
I will never forget this story that a dad shared with me about his son. He told me that he knew his son was not the greatest of athletes, but that he tired. On a good day, he was average, but his trying and desire was above average. He just really wanted to play. The dad told me that during a basketball game their team was winning by 30 or more points and the coach told him to get ready that he was going to put him in the game. He said, “You should have seen the look of excitement on my sons’ face.” The son was looking up at his dad and grinning, and was pacing around a little with anticipation. It was if he was saying,” It’s finally here, I’m going to play and dad is going to get to watch me.” They waited for what seemed like an eternity and about 30 seconds before the final clock was to go off, the coach FINALLY put him in. The little boy was thrown the ball the first play. He shot it immediately and missed it. Much to the dad’s surprise, the coach called a time out and yanked his son off of the basketball court. Now think about this, they’re winning by 30 or more points, he waited until 30 seconds before the end of the game, and the coach pulls him off the floor! There’s only a few seconds left in the game, it’s practically over. The dad explained that you could see the look of hurt and humiliation on his sons face. The dad, of whom I know well, is not a violate person, but he explained that before he knew what was happening, he was in the coaches face and hit him. As I said, I know him, and he is a very mild mannered man, and I really don’t know if I have ever seen him mad, let alone hit someone!
The family got in the car to go home and no one was saying a word, then finally from the backseat he could hear his son’s voice saying, “Thank you dad!”
I can’t imagine what possessed that coach to do that, but I can understand what possessed that dad. (smiling) I’m not saying that hitting is THE answer, but it is A answer. (smiling even bigger) Don’t mess with our babies!
No one should have to stay on the sidelines and just watch life. Each one of us has our share of hard work and practice that we put in and we all deserve an arena in which to use it. We want to be part of a win, something that is productive and successful–Something that not only enriches our lives, but helps to impact the lives of others as well.
If this dad was that upset over his son’s hurt just imagine how Helen Keller’s parents must have felt as they watched her struggling in her world of darkness. Just because you have your sight, that doesn’t mean that you can see. Many of you are still standing on the sidelines waiting to be put in the game. I want to encourage you to keep pushing forward. Be as determined as Helen Keller, and practice like the little boy as though you’re already a star.
There is a saying that I love, “Shot for the moon, that way if you miss, you’ll still land among the stars.” To me, everyone has the right to play, and the right to live among the stars and shine.
Stay focused, stay determined, and stay in the light; then just at the movie title implies, “The Miracle Continues”, it will. It will continue with you.
Here’s to Miracles,
Glenda
The information about Helen Keller was taken from Wikipedia
