Signs everywhere.Signs from people.Signs from yourself. Many times we miss them. I had a disease.
I had a very short attention span and often my thoughts became a blur even before the next sentence is uttered. My close friends point this out because as hard as I tried, I don’t get to follow the whole course of the conversation. When I go for a stroll, I become easily distracted by what I see especially bright lights and gorgeous men. However, I always offered my profuse apology to my companion when the symptoms of my inability to focus surfaced.
This was evident in my writing too. It is extremely rare that I make a draft. I let the thoughts flow because I fear of losing them instantly. I have improved on this, thanks to my editred friends who help me understand the importance of editing and revising. In the case of poetry, I write like I am running on flames of thunder.
A short attention span means trouble. I stared blankly on the balding heads of my professors, I misunderstood directions, I say the wrong word and of course, at the end I was the ultimately clueless block.
I thought my case is hopeless until….
My best friend, Pina introduced me to sign language. The intricate movement of the hands and the facial expressions immediately entranced me. I have completely fallen in love with it like an ardent suitor to his muse. I enrolled in a sign language class and I was fortunate to be given a chance to teach students with hearing impairment and to be an interpreter for a university. It was not easy, my arms hurt and my fingers felt like twisted vines. I took every cost because I wanted to learn it and I discovered many things in life that I never knew. These are the signs I missed.
The eyes speak a thousand words. I learned the power of eye contact.
In the non-hearing world, you cannot lie easily. There is a specific word for a feeling or situation.
We want to listen but to be heard is a stronger human need.
Patience is indeed a virtue. I realized I needed it because I was with my friends who need to “listen” through me.
This is my simple way of showing my gratitude to the people who welcomed me in their world.
Bobby, Donna, Claro and Jason, you are always close to my heart. It has been four years that I have not used sign language but I have not forgotten our own special sign- friendship that surpassed even the speed of sound.
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I admire in you your abnegation and your devotion to others, and maintaining it is my heart which is your truth fun, when with me my pride has of equal only your generosity, and I thank the sky which allowed that I know such a person.
Just passing to say hello.
Kisses