| Biographical Non-Fiction posted July 3, 2023 |
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Deaf or Blind? Contest entry
Melissa's Dream
by John Cranford
Deaf or Blind? Contest Winner
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Having to choose between being blind or deaf is not an easy choice. I think it would be very hard to overcome blindness and to function normally in a seeing world. While the inability to hear can be equally devastating, I have a story of an "Overcomer" who challenged her world of silence and won.
So, would I rather be deaf or blind? There's no contest...I'd prefer to be deaf. And I can sum up the reasons in one word, "Melissa."
Melissa and I first met when I was transferred to our regional office in Atlanta. She had been transferred from our regional office in Omaha, Nebraska when that office closed.
What immediately caught my attention about Melissa was her beautiful and engaging smile. When introduced to her I noticed a slight accent in her speech but, other than that, she seemed perfectly normal. It was shortly after my arrival that I was shocked to find out that she was deaf. The brief conversations I had with her were completely ordinary. I couldn't believe that she could not hear but read lips.
Other than passing in the halls, we didn't have much contact until one afternoon when she came to my office with a proposal. She said she noticed we lived close to each other, and she asked if I would be interested in commuting together. Since we both lived in the suburbs 25 miles north of Atlanta, I immediately thought that would be a good idea, so we agreed. Thus began a seven-year adventure and a close and cherished friendship.
Melissa's smile was captivating and she was always friendly and happy during our commutes. I noticed, however, that during our first year of commuting, she was very quiet. It wasn't awkward or uncomfortable...she just didn't have much to say. I learned that she was a bit shy and reluctant to engage in personal dialogue.
That all changed during one morning commute. Melissa noticed that as we approached midtown Atlanta, I always changed lanes at exactly the same place. She sheepishly looked over and said, "You are so dull and predictable." I laughed so hard I almost lost control of the car. That's the moment I first learned little Miss Melis had a sense of humor. That one comment opened the floodgates, and to this day she has not stopped talking (or laughing) whenever we're together. We became close friends during our years of commuting, and the personal story she shared was nothing short of remarkable.
Melissa suffered profound hearing loss at birth. Her birth mother gave her up for adoption shortly after she was born, and she was adopted by two of the kindest and most generous people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.
At an early age, Melissa made a very mature decision for a young child. She decided that she wanted to be accepted by and be part of the hearing world. She would not be satisfied to learn sign language and be relegated to a group that's "different" from everyone else. Her adoptive parents gave her their total support. Without that, she could never have accomplished her dream of being accepted by the hearing world or living a normal life.
She began the monumental task of lip reading and learning to speak. That was pretty difficult considering she had never heard words. It took years to master but master it she did! She spent years in special schools; and when she reached high school age, she told her parents she wanted to go to public school. Again, her parents supported and encouraged her. Through her relentless determination and persistence, she immersed herself completely and confidently into the hearing world. The rest is history.
I cherished those years we had traveling back and forth to the office. I learned how intelligent she was when we played trivia games on our commutes, and I rarely won. But most of all I loved her sense of humor. On another occasion, when I accidentally cut off a motorist, she looked over and smiled. "Do you want to know what he said to you?" She had read his lips.
I wondered how she could have such a positive and loving outlook on life. She endured so much in overcoming her handicap. She would laugh at me and scold me for using that word. To her it wasn't a handicap, but a mere inconvenience.
She's living the dream!
So, if I had to choose between deaf and blind, I'd take deaf every time.
Having to choose between being blind or deaf is not an easy choice. I think it would be very hard to overcome blindness and to function normally in a seeing world. While the inability to hear can be equally devastating, I have a story of an "Overcomer" who challenged her world of silence and won.
So, would I rather be deaf or blind? There's no contest...I'd prefer to be deaf. And I can sum up the reasons in one word, "Melissa."
Melissa and I first met when I was transferred to our regional office in Atlanta. She had been transferred from our regional office in Omaha, Nebraska when that office closed.
What immediately caught my attention about Melissa was her beautiful and engaging smile. When introduced to her I noticed a slight accent in her speech but, other than that, she seemed perfectly normal. It was shortly after my arrival that I was shocked to find out that she was deaf. The brief conversations I had with her were completely ordinary. I couldn't believe that she could not hear but read lips.
Other than passing in the halls, we didn't have much contact until one afternoon when she came to my office with a proposal. She said she noticed we lived close to each other, and she asked if I would be interested in commuting together. Since we both lived in the suburbs 25 miles north of Atlanta, I immediately thought that would be a good idea, so we agreed. Thus began a seven-year adventure and a close and cherished friendship.
Melissa's smile was captivating and she was always friendly and happy during our commutes. I noticed, however, that during our first year of commuting, she was very quiet. It wasn't awkward or uncomfortable...she just didn't have much to say. I learned that she was a bit shy and reluctant to engage in personal dialogue.
That all changed during one morning commute. Melissa noticed that as we approached midtown Atlanta, I always changed lanes at exactly the same place. She sheepishly looked over and said, "You are so dull and predictable." I laughed so hard I almost lost control of the car. That's the moment I first learned little Miss Melis had a sense of humor. That one comment opened the floodgates, and to this day she has not stopped talking (or laughing) whenever we're together. We became close friends during our years of commuting, and the personal story she shared was nothing short of remarkable.
Melissa suffered profound hearing loss at birth. Her birth mother gave her up for adoption shortly after she was born, and she was adopted by two of the kindest and most generous people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.
At an early age, Melissa made a very mature decision for a young child. She decided that she wanted to be accepted by and be part of the hearing world. She would not be satisfied to learn sign language and be relegated to a group that's "different" from everyone else. Her adoptive parents gave her their total support. Without that, she could never have accomplished her dream of being accepted by the hearing world or living a normal life.
She began the monumental task of lip reading and learning to speak. That was pretty difficult considering she had never heard words. It took years to master but master it she did! She spent years in special schools; and when she reached high school age, she told her parents she wanted to go to public school. Again, her parents supported and encouraged her. Through her relentless determination and persistence, she immersed herself completely and confidently into the hearing world. The rest is history.
I cherished those years we had traveling back and forth to the office. I learned how intelligent she was when we played trivia games on our commutes, and I rarely won. But most of all I loved her sense of humor. On another occasion, when I accidentally cut off a motorist, she looked over and smiled. "Do you want to know what he said to you?" She had read his lips.
I wondered how she could have such a positive and loving outlook on life. She endured so much in overcoming her handicap. She would laugh at me and scold me for using that word. To her it wasn't a handicap, but a mere inconvenience.
Melissa and I first met when I was transferred to our regional office in Atlanta. She had been transferred from our regional office in Omaha, Nebraska when that office closed.
What immediately caught my attention about Melissa was her beautiful and engaging smile. When introduced to her I noticed a slight accent in her speech but, other than that, she seemed perfectly normal. It was shortly after my arrival that I was shocked to find out that she was deaf. The brief conversations I had with her were completely ordinary. I couldn't believe that she could not hear but read lips.
Other than passing in the halls, we didn't have much contact until one afternoon when she came to my office with a proposal. She said she noticed we lived close to each other, and she asked if I would be interested in commuting together. Since we both lived in the suburbs 25 miles north of Atlanta, I immediately thought that would be a good idea, so we agreed. Thus began a seven-year adventure and a close and cherished friendship.
Melissa's smile was captivating and she was always friendly and happy during our commutes. I noticed, however, that during our first year of commuting, she was very quiet. It wasn't awkward or uncomfortable...she just didn't have much to say. I learned that she was a bit shy and reluctant to engage in personal dialogue.
That all changed during one morning commute. Melissa noticed that as we approached midtown Atlanta, I always changed lanes at exactly the same place. She sheepishly looked over and said, "You are so dull and predictable." I laughed so hard I almost lost control of the car. That's the moment I first learned little Miss Melis had a sense of humor. That one comment opened the floodgates, and to this day she has not stopped talking (or laughing) whenever we're together. We became close friends during our years of commuting, and the personal story she shared was nothing short of remarkable.
Melissa suffered profound hearing loss at birth. Her birth mother gave her up for adoption shortly after she was born, and she was adopted by two of the kindest and most generous people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.
At an early age, Melissa made a very mature decision for a young child. She decided that she wanted to be accepted by and be part of the hearing world. She would not be satisfied to learn sign language and be relegated to a group that's "different" from everyone else. Her adoptive parents gave her their total support. Without that, she could never have accomplished her dream of being accepted by the hearing world or living a normal life.
She began the monumental task of lip reading and learning to speak. That was pretty difficult considering she had never heard words. It took years to master but master it she did! She spent years in special schools; and when she reached high school age, she told her parents she wanted to go to public school. Again, her parents supported and encouraged her. Through her relentless determination and persistence, she immersed herself completely and confidently into the hearing world. The rest is history.
I cherished those years we had traveling back and forth to the office. I learned how intelligent she was when we played trivia games on our commutes, and I rarely won. But most of all I loved her sense of humor. On another occasion, when I accidentally cut off a motorist, she looked over and smiled. "Do you want to know what he said to you?" She had read his lips.
I wondered how she could have such a positive and loving outlook on life. She endured so much in overcoming her handicap. She would laugh at me and scold me for using that word. To her it wasn't a handicap, but a mere inconvenience.
She's living the dream!
So, if I had to choose between deaf and blind, I'd take deaf every time.
So, if I had to choose between deaf and blind, I'd take deaf every time.
Deaf or Blind? Contest Winner |
 Recognized |
#30 July 2023 |
Melissa is now happily married, retired and the mother of two grown daughters and a beautiful granddaughter, all of whom have perfect hearing. Through the miracle of hearing implants, her hearing has been greatly enhanced in recent years. She is a testament to overcoming impossible odds with deep faith in God, boundless determination and unending perseverance. I am exceedingly blessed that she counts me as a friend.
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