I woke up in the middle of the night earlier this week (trust me at my age, I’m waking up alot-but that’s another story) and had what you could say was an epiphany. For some reason I started thinking about what a miracle it was that Helen Keller could learn to speak and read and yet she was both blind and profoundly deaf. What an amazing story and what incredible challenges she overcame to go onto have an amazing life.
In todays world, I know we all get bogged down feeling sorry for ourselves and the whole “whoa is me” mentality with this economy. I don’t know about you but I’m ready for this recession to be over. I’m tired of feeling tired with the over abundance of bad news we hear and read every day. I’m tired of hearing my friend lost his or her job and they are getting behind on their bills. I choose not to watch the news at all (sorry about that guys and gals-I’m doing fine without anymore doom and gloom updates) but you can hardly avoid the conversations that swirl around you. You’d have to live under a rock to not be aware of the mess this country is in and how many lives are affected. I know some people that are just ready to give up.
Which leads me back to Helen Keller. Imagine your life without vision or sound and how isolated you would feel. Imagine for a moment the obstacles that little girl had to overcome to be able to function in a world that was so different from hers. Not only did she overcome obstacles with the help of an equally amazing teacher, Annie Sullivan, but she truly became an inspiration for others that you can achieve anything you want with determination and perseverance.
I personally support Guiding Eyes for the Blind. It’s my favorite charity. I think this organization is wonderful. The people and animals are amazing, It’s wonderful to give the gift of freedom and mobility when one of these guide dogs is placed in a home with its new owner. It really makes me feel humble that I have the gifts of sight and hearing that many of these folks don’t have and yet truly lead some of the happiest lives despite the obstacles that have to overcome on a daily basis just to exist in the main stream world. When I think about how lucky I am to not have these basic challenges to overcome, I start to feel guilty I could whine about anything.
So I’m going to take the lead of Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan and remind myself that any challenge no matter how little or big can be overcome with determination and perseverance. I’m going back to the basics: the harder I work, the luckier I get. Thanks Helen and Annie for reminding me how lucky I already am. Truly, the choice is yours: you can live in fear and self pity or you can immerse yourself with energy and actions that can make a difference starting today.
Peace and health-
Pam Tirado, President & Product Developer, Luminoso Studios® Illustre Essenza®
