In Pairs = Not Impaired
Brian Anthony Siegel
Hearing Impaired Event
Cincinnati Christian University 4/1/07
In Pairs = Not Impaired
Such a beautiful and fun filled Saturday planned today. Studying, then having lunch with Ms. JJ who rehabs homes for lower income families, and heavily involved in the community who I met through Dr. Richard Aft’s ethics class. After that I was recruited to help a friend move, then off to an event for the hearing impaired. I packed my day with meaningful things and scheduled it as if I were purposely trying to be late to everything and clone myself. Preceding the event, I had a surge of excitement. This was due to me knowing in would be in a different situation. This type of segment of the population is usually forgotten, or passed over due to the pain it would cause a person of "normal" capabilities would have. I didn't know what to expect on this rare beautiful day. I ventured to different buildings before I discovered where the group was. I entered to see pamphlets, event notices, plants in watering pots, and many other forms of information so if someone like me felt they wanted to know what else was going on, other events, or who to contact in case I felt compelled to take more action were there. It ended up aligning perfectly with my heart, the staff and event members, and the children that were the focus and reason for the day. A group of students that are majoring in sign language traveled up from Oklahoma just to be there. I thought of if everyone else were asked where they are today, what their answer would be, then what theirs would be, and felt I was where I needed to be. It feels good when you start to shape and form where you truly need to fit. My somewhat hectic schedule seems to have lost focus, I became in the moment, slowed down, and a relaxing feeling over took me.
I wandered around looking where I needed to be and meet up with others, and while walking through the hallway a woman signed to me, "Hello, are you thirsty". I was amazed at how quickly I cognitively processed her hand movements, spoke with my lips moving more than the normal sluggish slur used in normal banter, and she smiled in return after I relayed to her I was fine. We communicated, even though we both had obstacles and impairments, quickly, concisely, and with the up most respect due to her noticing how I used body language, and with hospitality. Through long narrow windows I saw a woman on stage signing to a group of about 35 people, consisting of about 20 people who appeared to be helping, 10 volunteers and event members, and 5 deaf children. It was almost like a painting and soothing after I entered the auditorium while I watched the signing going on, the loud silence of interactions, and the beauty of how something like this happens and rarely do people engage in such rare opportunities.
I appeared out of place, so the event leader, Pam Eubanks, noticed me enter the room, and approached me. She thanked me for being there, had short conversation, and felt I would fit downstairs with the children. I informed her that I did not know sign language. She assured me I would be just fine. I followed her downstairs, walked with her while I met some other volunteers and people providing service. Immediately I interacted in a game where we were all holding on to a circular blanket the colors of a beach ball. What a metaphor huh! The goal was to keep the ball bouncing in the middle. The younger gal we were interacting with was having fun, and I suggested when the ball was in the air we switch sides under the blanket. That was really fun, and humorous due to I knew we would all run into each other before the experiment was materialized. I assumed everyone there was completely deaf, and requested a volunteer to sign to her that we should come up with a strategy for our goal. She said, "She can hear you". Immediately I realized that the segment of the population that consists of the hearing impaired demographic, contained a large scope of people ranging from completely deaf to somewhat hearing. So, I then told her myself some ideas, and got her feedback. Our next activity was kite making, coloring, painting, and then attempting to fly the kites. During the kite making there was a one year old boy crawling like he was the Lance Armstrong or Michael Jordan of crawling. He was amazingly strong while he punched this ball 5 times his size while he chased he speed crawled. He would look me up and down; size me up, and like most, after stretching his head to look would get unbalanced and dizzy from looking at my size and height. So, I got on the ground and crawled with him. We started crawling after the ball, and he was hard to keep up with. I soon realized why we walk instead of crawl, and my knees couldn't take it anymore. I lifted him up so his feet could stand on the ball and he enjoyed kicking it with his strong legs.
The kites were finished, and I was recruited to test the engineering. I showed the kids how they could test the wind with the grass, and they picked up on it quickly. Unfortunately, the way the strings were tied and lack of wind did not allow us to fly that day, but we tried. I signaled to them when to start running after I held up the kite, and even ventured up the abutting 30ft rising walk near the patio. This didn't work, but we had fun trying, and running around stirring up wind. We tried many different ways, untangled string, arrived at different ideas, failed several times, and one gal found the solution was to just keep a short string, and run real fast. Again, more great metaphors huh!
My time was nearing an end, we all got on an elevator to venture to the auditorium to listen to and absorb the signing of a children’s book. From experience with the Battered Women's Shelter, children can sometimes align their excitement with their noise level. Due to being deaf, these children’s noises came in spurts, more than likely unaware to their knowledge, but truly authentic and complete openness due to their emotions flooding through their body language, signing, noises of joy and sometimes disagreement, just like any "normal" child. When it came time to enter the stage, they truly put on a performance of respect, attention, listening, watching, and a tranquility of peace and focus that is rare for children of their age to show such maturity. I quickly realized that this sometimes forgotten segment of our communities were not forgotten, went in "normal" and ended up leaving realizing I was the impaired one, they were more intelligent than "normal", my perspectives improved, you can communicate through many ways, silence has its' downfalls, but blessings too, we need to connect more like we did with the circular blanket, interact, discard fear, engage and find a way, any way we can, they're just as colorful and have many personalities just as the rest of the population, kites don't have to fly for hearts to flutter and soar, and they're just as strong as the rest of us, usually stronger. My mind inspired, my heart opened, and blessed for just being there. I took some pamphlets, connected with the Pam, and will be connecting them to the same organizations I've connected the YWCA shelter to (Reds, Bengals, National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Cincinnati Art Museum, and Cincinnati Museum Center). You go in thinking, “I’m going to help out here”, and you leave having your core and heart shaken, and realize you were there for them to change you too.
I attempt to break patterns in routine, and improve systems small and large, both equally important. I found myself needing to venture into other groups that I thought I knew about, but wanted to be more informed and involved. Sometimes you need to subtract to add, such as putting yourself in a situation where you enhance other senses by inhibiting another for a moment. We are blessed it’s temporary, where others are enhanced permanently without choice. The shelter I usually frequent and donate goods, funds, and time is great, but needed to grasp this opportunity. Time is crucial, and finding a balance for community with professional and personal goals can sometimes get over bearing and exhausting. Tired and plate overfilled, I felt a calling to be there that Saturday afternoon, and am glad others and I did. Just like the shelter, this group needs community involvement, and more action from external sources. Self-actualization, discovery, defining, and finding where one fits in life is important. The more one interacts with others, seeks, and takes action the more one will discover and grow. This is convenient for a fulfilled life during our short time on this planet, but is often inconvenient to personal schedules. I argue just like higher education or any education in general, it costs you more in the long run to not invest a small amount of time (1-2 hrs of time) and plug into some sort of organization and just be there, get out of your element, and risk some time you otherwise perhaps may have spent another way engaging with others in the community. If we spent more time following the advice we gave to others (Proverb), and guided, encouraged, and supported, how much different would we, and the world be? Due to this, I am forever changed, and forever grateful.
Contact information
Deaf Institute
3515 Warsaw Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45205
p)513.471.2990
f)513.471.2996
email staff@deafinstitute.org
http://www.deafinstitute.org/
Bryan Eubanks, Director
Kim Irwin, Administrative Assistant
Pam Eubanks, Family Ministries
471-4806 home
307-8100 cell
471-2990 office
email pam@deafinstitute.org
Hearing Impaired Event
Cincinnati Christian University 4/1/07
In Pairs = Not Impaired
Such a beautiful and fun filled Saturday planned today. Studying, then having lunch with Ms. JJ who rehabs homes for lower income families, and heavily involved in the community who I met through Dr. Richard Aft’s ethics class. After that I was recruited to help a friend move, then off to an event for the hearing impaired. I packed my day with meaningful things and scheduled it as if I were purposely trying to be late to everything and clone myself. Preceding the event, I had a surge of excitement. This was due to me knowing in would be in a different situation. This type of segment of the population is usually forgotten, or passed over due to the pain it would cause a person of "normal" capabilities would have. I didn't know what to expect on this rare beautiful day. I ventured to different buildings before I discovered where the group was. I entered to see pamphlets, event notices, plants in watering pots, and many other forms of information so if someone like me felt they wanted to know what else was going on, other events, or who to contact in case I felt compelled to take more action were there. It ended up aligning perfectly with my heart, the staff and event members, and the children that were the focus and reason for the day. A group of students that are majoring in sign language traveled up from Oklahoma just to be there. I thought of if everyone else were asked where they are today, what their answer would be, then what theirs would be, and felt I was where I needed to be. It feels good when you start to shape and form where you truly need to fit. My somewhat hectic schedule seems to have lost focus, I became in the moment, slowed down, and a relaxing feeling over took me.
I wandered around looking where I needed to be and meet up with others, and while walking through the hallway a woman signed to me, "Hello, are you thirsty". I was amazed at how quickly I cognitively processed her hand movements, spoke with my lips moving more than the normal sluggish slur used in normal banter, and she smiled in return after I relayed to her I was fine. We communicated, even though we both had obstacles and impairments, quickly, concisely, and with the up most respect due to her noticing how I used body language, and with hospitality. Through long narrow windows I saw a woman on stage signing to a group of about 35 people, consisting of about 20 people who appeared to be helping, 10 volunteers and event members, and 5 deaf children. It was almost like a painting and soothing after I entered the auditorium while I watched the signing going on, the loud silence of interactions, and the beauty of how something like this happens and rarely do people engage in such rare opportunities.
I appeared out of place, so the event leader, Pam Eubanks, noticed me enter the room, and approached me. She thanked me for being there, had short conversation, and felt I would fit downstairs with the children. I informed her that I did not know sign language. She assured me I would be just fine. I followed her downstairs, walked with her while I met some other volunteers and people providing service. Immediately I interacted in a game where we were all holding on to a circular blanket the colors of a beach ball. What a metaphor huh! The goal was to keep the ball bouncing in the middle. The younger gal we were interacting with was having fun, and I suggested when the ball was in the air we switch sides under the blanket. That was really fun, and humorous due to I knew we would all run into each other before the experiment was materialized. I assumed everyone there was completely deaf, and requested a volunteer to sign to her that we should come up with a strategy for our goal. She said, "She can hear you". Immediately I realized that the segment of the population that consists of the hearing impaired demographic, contained a large scope of people ranging from completely deaf to somewhat hearing. So, I then told her myself some ideas, and got her feedback. Our next activity was kite making, coloring, painting, and then attempting to fly the kites. During the kite making there was a one year old boy crawling like he was the Lance Armstrong or Michael Jordan of crawling. He was amazingly strong while he punched this ball 5 times his size while he chased he speed crawled. He would look me up and down; size me up, and like most, after stretching his head to look would get unbalanced and dizzy from looking at my size and height. So, I got on the ground and crawled with him. We started crawling after the ball, and he was hard to keep up with. I soon realized why we walk instead of crawl, and my knees couldn't take it anymore. I lifted him up so his feet could stand on the ball and he enjoyed kicking it with his strong legs.
The kites were finished, and I was recruited to test the engineering. I showed the kids how they could test the wind with the grass, and they picked up on it quickly. Unfortunately, the way the strings were tied and lack of wind did not allow us to fly that day, but we tried. I signaled to them when to start running after I held up the kite, and even ventured up the abutting 30ft rising walk near the patio. This didn't work, but we had fun trying, and running around stirring up wind. We tried many different ways, untangled string, arrived at different ideas, failed several times, and one gal found the solution was to just keep a short string, and run real fast. Again, more great metaphors huh!
My time was nearing an end, we all got on an elevator to venture to the auditorium to listen to and absorb the signing of a children’s book. From experience with the Battered Women's Shelter, children can sometimes align their excitement with their noise level. Due to being deaf, these children’s noises came in spurts, more than likely unaware to their knowledge, but truly authentic and complete openness due to their emotions flooding through their body language, signing, noises of joy and sometimes disagreement, just like any "normal" child. When it came time to enter the stage, they truly put on a performance of respect, attention, listening, watching, and a tranquility of peace and focus that is rare for children of their age to show such maturity. I quickly realized that this sometimes forgotten segment of our communities were not forgotten, went in "normal" and ended up leaving realizing I was the impaired one, they were more intelligent than "normal", my perspectives improved, you can communicate through many ways, silence has its' downfalls, but blessings too, we need to connect more like we did with the circular blanket, interact, discard fear, engage and find a way, any way we can, they're just as colorful and have many personalities just as the rest of the population, kites don't have to fly for hearts to flutter and soar, and they're just as strong as the rest of us, usually stronger. My mind inspired, my heart opened, and blessed for just being there. I took some pamphlets, connected with the Pam, and will be connecting them to the same organizations I've connected the YWCA shelter to (Reds, Bengals, National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Cincinnati Art Museum, and Cincinnati Museum Center). You go in thinking, “I’m going to help out here”, and you leave having your core and heart shaken, and realize you were there for them to change you too.
I attempt to break patterns in routine, and improve systems small and large, both equally important. I found myself needing to venture into other groups that I thought I knew about, but wanted to be more informed and involved. Sometimes you need to subtract to add, such as putting yourself in a situation where you enhance other senses by inhibiting another for a moment. We are blessed it’s temporary, where others are enhanced permanently without choice. The shelter I usually frequent and donate goods, funds, and time is great, but needed to grasp this opportunity. Time is crucial, and finding a balance for community with professional and personal goals can sometimes get over bearing and exhausting. Tired and plate overfilled, I felt a calling to be there that Saturday afternoon, and am glad others and I did. Just like the shelter, this group needs community involvement, and more action from external sources. Self-actualization, discovery, defining, and finding where one fits in life is important. The more one interacts with others, seeks, and takes action the more one will discover and grow. This is convenient for a fulfilled life during our short time on this planet, but is often inconvenient to personal schedules. I argue just like higher education or any education in general, it costs you more in the long run to not invest a small amount of time (1-2 hrs of time) and plug into some sort of organization and just be there, get out of your element, and risk some time you otherwise perhaps may have spent another way engaging with others in the community. If we spent more time following the advice we gave to others (Proverb), and guided, encouraged, and supported, how much different would we, and the world be? Due to this, I am forever changed, and forever grateful.
Contact information
Deaf Institute
3515 Warsaw Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45205
p)513.471.2990
f)513.471.2996
email staff@deafinstitute.org
http://www.deafinstitute.org/
Bryan Eubanks, Director
Kim Irwin, Administrative Assistant
Pam Eubanks, Family Ministries
471-4806 home
307-8100 cell
471-2990 office
email pam@deafinstitute.org
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