Today, I am thankful for those who remind us that we are not limited by our disabilities.
Here’s an interesting newsflash: None of us are perfect. Despite all our disturbing deficits & our irritating foibles, we often succeed. Resiliency in the face of our deficits is what defines us as a species.
We can point to certain historical examples of individuals who serve as proof that success is possible even in the face of physical handicaps. Take for example, Franklin D. Roosevelt, who rose to office of US President despite being bound by polio to a wheel chair.
Or to Helen Keller, who become an agent for social reform despite being rendered blind & deaf as an infant.
Or to Louis Braille, who invented a reading & writing system for the visually impaired. On this day (Jan 4) in 1809, Braille was born outside of Paris. At the age of 3, while playing in his father’s workshop, he was struck in the face by an awl, eventually losing sight in both eyes. Despite his injury, he persevered. At 15, he adapted a known French military communication system to develop his ‘raised dot’ method to allow for blind folks to read and write. Ironically, he created the 'Braille' system using an awl, the same tool that had impaled his sight.
Braille is an exemplar of what is possible despite our limitations. Sometimes we need to turn our limitations into our strengths.
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