She was deaf, blind and believed by
many to have no observable or recognizable intelligence. To those unfamiliar to
her world, this little girl was considered unreachable. However, when I
held and supported her on a large classroom swing, and rocked with her back and
forth, she would make sounds of contentment. Back and forth . . . back and
forth. And when I would suddenly stop swinging . . . this child would bump me
with her shoulders. This was no accident. She was speaking to me, saying “don’t
stop, keep going, I’m enjoying this.” That little bump spoke volumes, giving
her a voice, opportunities, and a personality--as long as I had the patience to
listen and engage her.
I learned, if I ignored or didn’t
make the connections, her voice fell silent and her opportunities became
limited to, none. I found myself in the middle of her world; a key to her
voice and meaningful existence. Over time, I found her more than
reachable. --Allen Lujan
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