Please post or publish my newest story. ----- Original Message ----- From: Joe Mazzella To: [email protected] Cc: joseph mazzella Sent: Monday, May 24, 2010 12:15 PM Subject: reformatted story: Learning to read again in a different way
Learning to Read again in a different way By: Cynthia Groopman When I was six years old, I learned to read the printed page and it was such an exciting and triumphant moment for me when I read aloud to my parents from one of my first reading books. Ever since then reading was my cherished subject. We would have a personal reading time with the teacher and there was the special reading seat near her desk. My day was friday. I would read a story from the reader and read it with feeling and emotion. Books were my friends and I was a bookworm as many people called me. Where ever you would find me you would see me reading a book. I thanked God for books and the ability to read and I would read to my grandmother and when I was six or seven I would read to my dolls and stuffed animals. In 1988 I had an accident and no longer was able to read print. I lost my eyesight and became totally blind. One of the first things I wanted to do was to learn to read agin but in a different way. Braille the reading and writing system for the blind founded by Louis Braille a young teacher in the 1700's became my new task. I had the same zeal, enthusiasm and exhuberance for learning braille reading as I had for learning to read the printed page 33 years previously. I learned at rehab and then through correspondence courses from the Hadley school for the Blind. The learning was fun and I practiced and was a quick learner and it took me less than 8 months to learn to read braille. I started off reading childrens' books given to me by the Library for the Blind and physically handicapped and would practice reading them and read them to my mom and dad as I had done earlier as a child reading print. Then, I began reading magazines, first children's magazines like Children's Digest. After all I was a child again since whenever a person starts from the beginning a new langauge it is like a child learning. Then I began to read Reader's digest, the grown up edition given by donations from the American Printing House for the Blind. I felt truly triumphant and proud of myself for accomplishing such a difficult task in such a short time. It is usually more difficult for adults to learn braille at age 39 and one half years than it is for school children, but with persistence, courage, tenacity and with God's help, I did succeed. God guided my fingers as I read the braille dots on the pages. I soon after received a braille Bible from the braille Bible Foundation and began to read the Good Book. Of course, I read Genesis, In the Beginning, etc. to my mom and there was light again for me, becasue I was able to read God's word as he opened my eyes spiritually. Hadley courses gave me more practice in braille reading with different kinds of material and questions to answer for exams. I scored a plus on these courses. Little did I know that my braille reading ability would be used to each sighted people english, as I would braille my material for me and type the material in reading for the sighted adults. Little did I know that I would read poetry at historic tribute and installation ceremonies at Synagogue services and psalms and even learn Hebrew Braille. The Jewish braille Institute sent me a book called Hebrew Braille Self Taught and again I learned to read Hebrew in a different way. I did well and in 2000, I joined the Astoria center of Israel, obtained from JBI prayerbooks and participated in the services. In 2001, I had my day of golden sunshine, spiritual triumph. I had a bat mitzvah. This is usually a rite of passage when a young lady of 13 receives the majority to fulfill the comamndments and she reads from the scriptures. JBI provided me with the Hebrew Braille scripture from the Book of Isaiah. I did so well on August 11, 2001 and again felt the light of the Lord, so radiant and bright. That portion said that God does not forsake or forget anyone. Yes, He did not foresake or forget me at all, since I was regiven the ability to read, to share my poetry with others, to read prayers in Hebrew and in English, to read the holy Bible and to learn, open my mind and broaden my horizons on secular and non secular subjects.I stand proud and tall as I read braille to the sighted congregation and am grateful to God for providing me the strength and fortitude to learn and to be able to love life, cherish each day and to again enjoy my passion which is reading. Louis Braille with his genius enables blind people throughout the world and centureis to read to be educated, to work and to be literate. Literacy is a gift and priceless treasured more than silver and gold. I am truly blessed to be able to read although it is in a different way. I hug my braille magazines, prayerbooks, Bibles and other books. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No infections found in this outgoing message Scanned by iolo System Shield® http://www.iolo.com -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Deaf-Blind Inspirational Life Group" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/dbilg?hl=en.
