Meeting deaf ears
Meeting deaf ears
I came upon a very heart warming story. Thought I would share it with you.
There was once this young deaf man who had just moved into a new small town. The only person he knew was his long time college friend who was fluent in sign language and so could help him communicate with his surroundings at this new relocation.
He walks down the street with her and enters a bakery. His friend informs the baker that they need a loaf of bread, and upon paying, the owner turns to this man and signs back ” thank you have a nice day”! He immediately was surprised and pleased and replied back the same in sign language, and exited the store.
They carried on down the street, and a passerby traveling in the opposite direction makes eye contact with this young man and signs ” good morning hello”. Again he smiles and signs back the same and is a little astonished.
They continued their morning walk and he wanted to buy her flowers so they stopped into a florist store and picked out the flowers and went up to the cashier. As he was leaving the cashier signed ” those are beautiful flowers, hope you enjoy them”. He replied in sign ” Thank you and good bye”
He asked his friend ” Did you see that? How did that person and the last few people know how to communicate in sign language ?”
She shrugged, and smiled and they returned on their journey.
A lady up ahead had dropped her keys and he picked them up and ran over to her to give it her. She was grateful and then signed back ” Thank you for your help. ” He was totally beside himself and bewildered that surely as a foreigner to this new town with a ” handicap” how are there beyond a coincidence a number of people who could use sign language. Again he asked his friend, who shrugged and smiled.
They reached the bus stop where he and his friend got onto the bus and suddenly the bus driver greeted him in sign language and communicated to him the fare and destinations. He was astonished and teary eyed. He paid the fare and sat down confused. Suddenly from behind his seat an older man put his hand on his shoulder. He jumped with a start. The old man smiled and signed him ” Welcome” He was now totally shaking with bewildered happiness.
Another person on the bus also turned and signed to him ” Dont worry”
He looked over to his friend in shock and fear. That is when she grinned and signed to him.” I told the town a few days ago that you were coming and were deaf and could only sign and so each and every member of this town thought the best way to make you feel at home and welcome you, was to have everyone learn basic sign language as fast they could in a short period of time before your arrival. “
So here it is folks. You make a difference in peoples’ lives by making a change in your own first. You reach out with love across any barrier of race, color, gender, creed, religion, equality, age, disability, or any possible difference. The offering of a single smile to a stranger you meet on the street, changes the path they were on. You do not know if that stranger was having a bad day but that your simple acknowledgment of their humanity perhaps changed their course.
Reach out. Extend yourself. Lend out your heart. If you never do, you will never know if you are capable of more than you have ever dreamed.
And I know you are. I have seen it. I have felt it. In your eyes. In your hearts.
Welcome to the planet. It’s not all that bad as you have been told.
Magic is everywhere.
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