“We could never learn to be brave and patient, if there were only joy in the world.” Helen Keller wrote these words, a woman who when she was 19 months old had an illness that resulted in her becoming both blind and deaf. With the assistance and companionship of her teacher, Anne Sullivan, Helen learned to read, write, and speak, and eventually she became a famous speaker, author, and philanthropist who positively affected the lives of many people.
Helen Keller’s words are particularly significant to me because she is someone who, despite not being able to hear or see, strove to develop the many other abilities she had. It’s hard for me to imagine how difficult that would have been and the patience and courage it took for her to persevere. I often struggle to understand why there is so much suffering in our world. I feel for people who have disabilities, who are the victims of abuse, who live in war-torn areas—the list goes on. On a more personal level, I have struggled to accept challenges I’ve needed to face, challenges that, although difficult, have not been as difficult as those of many other people.
So I derive hope from Helen Keller and other people I respect, and I strive to be brave and patient during the trying times in my life.