DEAFinitely Worth Reading!

Often times people complain about the things they don't have in life. Sometimes we, and myself included, don't "look past our own feet," (an old wise quote from elders) to appreciate the things we do have.
For almost the past week, I have been training a deaf woman at my job. She will be taking over my position as I have been blessed to have been promoted to a new position. Prior to training her, I took an ASL class in the beginning of the year, as I thought learning sign language was an interesting feat. Little did I know, six months later, I would be using what I learned in the ASL class to help me with my training.
As I teach her throughout the day, I can't help but wonder what life would be like being deaf? Communication would be done more with my hands rather than my mouth. I would have to write things down so people could understand me. It could become increasingly frustrating having to communicate with the hearing population. Just as the hearing population may think the deaf population is difficult to communicate with, I'm sure the deaf population feels the same about the hearing population.
Fortunately, for those that are deaf and hearing impaired, Rochester has one of the highest deaf community population in the nation. Being that this is so, there are numerous outlets that the deaf community has access to. There is NTID, National Technical Institute for the Deaf at R.I.T., Rochester School for the Deaf. There is Deaf Women of Rochester along with many religion organizations and other clubs for the deaf community.
Perhaps if I were in that situation, I wouldn't feel as if communication were hard. As I'm sure deaf people don't feel that way. I have been blessed to be able to have the opportunity to train her as I am not only teaching her but she is teaching me too.
We have to understand that there is nothing promised to us, not even at birth. We will have trials and tribulations, shortfalls and shortcomings. But what we must realize is that our faith, strength, drive, conviction, determination, will, and want, can take us to heights unknown, no matter what physical aliment or other disability we may have. So from now on, I'll always look at the glass as half full rather than half empty. Stay blessed and remember; be greatful for what you have because there is someone out there who is less fortunate but lives life to the fullest each day.