The goose blinks, did you ever?

[Berry]

I was told one time that my boss was like a goose. He would blink and suddenly find himself in a new world that needed new rules for us to obey.

The problem was he never seemed to learn from his mistakes.

But...

It is amazing what brings a real change into a person's life. A sudden insight, something someone says, something you discover. A satori, an epiphany, something that suddenly changes the way you look at the world.

I've blinked twice in the last month, both times right here on AllDeaf. The first time because of Bottesini introducing me to the term "dysfluency" which I had never heard of before. This led me to come up with the concept of metafluency and I find myself thinking in terms of metafluency in every conversation I have.

The other was when Jillio told me she is convinced I am a "fluid thinker" a term I had never come across before.

In the past I had always paused to think about the most versatile, the most flexible, the most eclectic, look for different points of view -- Now none of those terms come to my mind. I now look for the most fluid solution, the most fluid point of view.

Now I do not see myself the same, I do not see the world the same, nor do I see other people the same as I did a month ago.

Because I happen to be on AllDeaf and interacted with these two people and they, bless them both, saw fit to interact with me.

So now you know about my blinks, I'm a happy goose.

I'm curious about yours.

What has happened in your life, here on AllDeaf or anywhere else, that caused you to blink and wake up in a whole new world?

 

[jillio]

First of all, I am flattered. Thank you for interacting with me, as well. I always enjoy your posts and your insight.

I believe my most significant blink was the day my son was diagnosed as being severe to profoundly deaf. As the audiologist delivered the news (as if she were stating that he had a terminal illness) he was sitting on my lap. For some reason (perhaps my grip on him tightened; I really don't know) as she said the word "deaf" my little boy turned to look at me with the most beautiful smile on his face. At that moment, I realized, no matter the news that had just been delivered, nothing had changed for my son. It had only changed for me. His world was exactly the same as it had always been. That allowed me to understand that it was not his perspective that needed to be modified, but my own. That was the moment that I began the journey to attempt to think like a Deaf person. And my life has been enriched in untold ways as a result.

 

[Berry]

First of all, I am flattered. Thank you for interacting with me, as well. I always enjoy your posts and your insight.

I believe my most significant blink was the day my son was diagnosed as being severe to profoundly deaf. As the audiologist delivered the news (as if she were stating that he had a terminal illness) he was sitting on my lap. For some reason (perhaps my grip on him tightened; I really don't know) as she said the word "deaf" my little boy turned to look at me with the most beautiful smile on his face. At that moment, I realized, no matter the news that had just been delivered, nothing had changed for my son. It had only changed for me. His world was exactly the same as it had always been. That allowed me to understand that it was not his perspective that needed to be modified, but my own. That was the moment that I began the journey to attempt to think like a Deaf person. And my life has been enriched in untold ways as a result.

That is beautiful.

 

[jillio]

That is beautiful.

There is always beauty in the truth, and in welcoming diversity.

 

[Beowulf]

First of all, I am flattered. Thank you for interacting with me, as well. I always enjoy your posts and your insight.

I believe my most significant blink was the day my son was diagnosed as being severe to profoundly deaf. As the audiologist delivered the news (as if she were stating that he had a terminal illness) he was sitting on my lap. For some reason (perhaps my grip on him tightened; I really don't know) as she said the word "deaf" my little boy turned to look at me with the most beautiful smile on his face. At that moment, I realized, no matter the news that had just been delivered, nothing had changed for my son. It had only changed for me. His world was exactly the same as it had always been. That allowed me to understand that it was not his perspective that needed to be modified, but my own. That was the moment that I began the journey to attempt to think like a Deaf person. And my life has been enriched in untold ways as a result.

Dang, now I feel an urge to watch a chick flick tonight!
That almost brought me to tears.

 

[KristinaB]

My blink isn't quite so heart tugging, but for me, I have 2.

1. All my life, even though I had a very supportive family who never looked at me differently, I always felt like I was broken. Like I needed to be fixed or like the mold was broken with me. AllDeaf made me realize and accept that I am not broken and I don't need to be fixed. I am a normal person who just has a hearing loss. I never realized that there were that many other's like me. My father's hearing loss was not something he was born with and I was not exposed to any others who had a hearing loss that we knew about.

2. I had been told by professionals and school educators that my daughter would never talk, walk or function as a normal child or person. When she took her first step, it was like the beginnings of a new world. When she said her first sentence, I literally had to stop the car and pull off the road. People wondered what was wrong including the Florida Highway Patrol officer who came upon us. Then again, when my daughter's speech became a little clearer. My daughter has triumphed through so much, and I have learned so much through her. Then, when I mention what I went through, people here on AllDeaf give me a virtual pat on the back and for me, that is everything.

 

[Berry]

My blink isn't quite so heart tugging, but for me, I have 2.

1. All my life, even though I had a very supportive family who never looked at me differently, I always felt like I was broken. Like I needed to be fixed or like the mold was broken with me. AllDeaf made me realize and accept that I am not broken and I don't need to be fixed. I am a normal person who just has a hearing loss. I never realized that there were that many other's like me. My father's hearing loss was not something he was born with and I was not exposed to any others who had a hearing loss that we knew about.

2. I had been told by professionals and school educators that my daughter would never talk, walk or function as a normal child or person. When she took her first step, it was like the beginnings of a new world. When she said her first sentence, I literally had to stop the car and pull off the road. People wondered what was wrong including the Florida Highway Patrol officer who came upon us. Then again, when my daughter's speech became a little clearer. My daughter has triumphed through so much, and I have learned so much through her. Then, when I mention what I went through, people here on AllDeaf give me a virtual pat on the back and for me, that is everything.

For me that brings a lot of strong emotions. I know what it is like to have a child pull through when everyone says they can't or they won't.

I would say those are some pretty powerful blinks. Much more than the ones I started this thread with.

 

[jillio]

Dang, now I feel an urge to watch a chick flick tonight!
That almost brought me to tears.

May I recomend Fried Green Tomatoes?

 

[jillio]

My blink isn't quite so heart tugging, but for me, I have 2.

1. All my life, even though I had a very supportive family who never looked at me differently, I always felt like I was broken. Like I needed to be fixed or like the mold was broken with me. AllDeaf made me realize and accept that I am not broken and I don't need to be fixed. I am a normal person who just has a hearing loss. I never realized that there were that many other's like me. My father's hearing loss was not something he was born with and I was not exposed to any others who had a hearing loss that we knew about.

2. I had been told by professionals and school educators that my daughter would never talk, walk or function as a normal child or person. When she took her first step, it was like the beginnings of a new world. When she said her first sentence, I literally had to stop the car and pull off the road. People wondered what was wrong including the Florida Highway Patrol officer who came upon us. Then again, when my daughter's speech became a little clearer. My daughter has triumphed through so much, and I have learned so much through her. Then, when I mention what I went through, people here on AllDeaf give me a virtual pat on the back and for me, that is everything.

Very powerful, IMO.