Impacting the world

There are certain human stories which leaves an everlasting impact on one's life.  This human story did such to me.  Let us start from the beginning - the morning of arrival. As I pull into the empty gravel parking lot, I find myself rather excited.   I eagerly walk towards a house turned into a museum - the birthplace of Helen Keller.  I hope to learn more about Helen and her impact she continues to make on our world.  To be honest, I know very little about her except she was blind and deaf.

As I enter, I am immediately greeted by a woman behind the small counter surrounded by souvenirs and postcards.   I introduce myself.  The attendant displays a huge smile and says, "It is good it is slow right now.  I can give you a personal tour of Helen Keller's home.  She has quite the story."  Her excitement rubs off onto me.

Hellen Keller entered the world June 27, 1880.  She was a very healthy baby until the 19th month.  An unknown disease took her sight and the ability to hear.  For the next five years the family experienced massive problems.  Helen became very aggressive as she struggled trying to share her needs or feelings.  The parents felt hopeless.  In Helen's adult years she often reflects on her young life as "being at sea in dense fog".  On March 5, 1877, a recently graduated 20-year-old enters the life of the Keller family.  Her presence completely changes everything.  Meet Anne Sullivan.

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Anne makes a bold ultimatum to the family.  Anne expresses the only way she will continue with the family is to have one-on-one time with Helen alone.  In other words, the family could not be present at all.  The family reluctantly agrees.  Anne and Helen move in together the in this small garden house located on the property.

Anne works tirelessly trying to help Helen identify objects' by writing the letters of the word in her small palm.  No matter how much Anne tried, Helen didn't understand.  Then one day the both of them were at this outside house pump.  Helen put her hand underneath the cool running water while Anne wrote the letters W-A-T-E-R.  In this moment, Helen finally understood the correlation.  Immediately she began running around demanding to learn the words of other objects.  A monumental breakthrough occurred.  Helen shares in one of her twelve books she later wrote, "The living water awakened my soul, gave it light, hope, set it free". 

Anne continued to be a life partner of Helen for 49 years.   Helen became the first person of deaf blindness to earn a college degree.  Helen learned five languages.  She became an author, disability advocate, pollical activist and a world known lecturer.  One of Helen's major contributions was the founding of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).  Helen Keller passed away at the age of 87 on June 1st, 1968.  Helen is buried at the side of Anne located at the Washington National Cathedral.  Wow!  I am trying to take in all I learned in such a short time.

As I slowly drive out of the parking lot, I stop by this marker to contemplate what I just experienced.   I find myself feeling really good.  I sense a renewal of motivation.  I feel inspired on wanting to do the best in all I do.  Helen Keller took an unfortunate situation and made it her legacy by demonstrating determined dedication and hope to make the world a better place. This experience made a positive impact on my life.  I hope my brief narrative leaves my readers with a yearning to learn more about this incredible woman - Helen Keller.