Inspirational Stories IV : Hellen Adams Keller, A Great Heroine
May 18, 2007
Tears glided down my cheeks as I reviewed this story. Those were tears of admiration. Much as I know I can continue to write on, I believe Helen Adams Keller’s indomitable spirit is best experienced by “touch”. Let her story touch you, just like it has touched me.
A Genius in A Lockup
When Helen Adams Keller was born on June 27, 1880, she was like any other normal baby. Her parents, landowners in post Civil War Alabama were very proud of her. In their eyes, she was after all their intelligent child who could speak “How do you do?” at 6 months old. However, that started to change after she contracted scarlet fever at 19 months in February 1882. When she was rescued from the brink of death, little Helen could no longer respond to the dinner bell rings or flashes of her mother’s hand in front of her eyes.
It thus became apparent that her illness has left her to be blind and deaf. And as she became further withdrawn into her own silent world, she began to lose her speech as well.
Losing her ability to communicate with her parents reduced Helen to a state of frustration and anger. She became a difficult child, throwing dishes and lamps on the floor, yelling and throwing tantrums. That behaviour gradually worsened as her parents became too soft hearted and refused to discipline her. Relatives thought she should be sent to a mental institution.
However, Helen displayed abilities that seemed to suggest that she was sound. By the time she was 5, she could use more than 60 customized hand gestures to communicate meanings of “Mother”, “Father” etc. Believing that her child could be educated, her mother brought Helen to Alexander Graham Bell on the advice from a specialist doctor. Alexander was working with the deaf at that time. It was through his contacts that a private tutor was eventually engaged to coach Helen. She was none other than Anne Sullivan. Read more
Do You Want to Be Risk Taker Joe or Irresponsible Dave?
May 15, 2007
Risk Taker Joe & Irresponsible Dave are waiting on the plane for their turn to sky dive.
Instructor : Guys, are you ready to take the plunge?
Risk Taker Joe : Yes!
Irresponsible Dave : Errhh, yeesss…
Risk Taker Joe (checks his parachute, recaps his stunts in his mind and jumps) : Dave, let’s catch up over a beer when we’re on the ground! Yippee!
Irresponsible Dave (regrets taking up his girlfriend’s dare, forgets the preparatory instructions but still jumps anyway) : OK, if only we land safely! Oh shit!!!
Both Risk Taker Joe & Irresponsible Dave receive a hot piece of investment tip from a common friend working in the financial sector a week ago and discuss this over coffee. Read more
