Seeing Life in a Different Light

This blog post is a little different because I’ve felt compelled to shed some encouragement for others who might be experiencing a similar feeling. I often find myself thinking back to my childhood and remembering the encounters that molded me into who I am today. Parents, teachers and other adult-like figures tend to guide children in the direction they think is best until the child is able to make decisions for themselves. While my parents were always supportive and encouraging, I remember many conversations with teachers who viewed my life a little differently. For as long as I can remember I’ve heard the word ‘disability’ when describing my hearing loss. Conversations were often centered around the things I could not do or the amount of work I needed to put in so I could keep up with those around me. Of course, at the time, I listened to everyone and believed that I would always be one step behind others. Education, daily communication and sports were all things I worked hard at but I didn’t realize that I wasn’t behind my classmates- I was simply working at my own pace. Attending school and growing up was something I thought would be a little different for me, but I could not have been more wrong. As an adult and looking forward to having my own children one day, I view life differently. I see my hearing loss as a gift and an opportunity to educate. I see my own path in a different light, and it is truly amazing. I wish I could back to my younger self and encourage her to stay strong and block out the negativity. Our society is so dependent on what others think of us and how we are perceived in the public eye, that it is truly toxic. I spent many nights looking up ways to be prettier, funnier, more outgoing and even ways to hide my hearing aids. I wanted to be liked by everyone, but I didn’t want others to know about my hearing loss. I was under the impression that as soon as I shared my story, people would see me as someone who was incapable of doing “normal” things. Today, I proudly sit in a position where I don’t care what others think of me and I continue to push myself to overcome the many struggles I’ve experienced. Aside to giving credit to my parents, who are absolutely amazing, I find myself appreciating my husband even more. He continues to show me that I have a voice and I can mold my life into whatever I want. He shows me that every tunnel has a light and I get excited to see where that light takes me. Everyone is different but I encourage you to find your light and shine, regardless of who is watching.