Helen Keller (born on 27 June 1880 in Alabama) was an American writer and social activist .
She was struck by an illness (possibly scarlet fever or meningitis) when she was only 19 months old,
She was able to recover from her illness, but was left permanently blind and deaf, as she recalled in her autobiography, “at sea in a dense fog”.
When she was 6 she was examined by Alexander Graham Bell, the Canadian-American inventor, scientist and engineer credited with patenting the first practical telephone
He sent her a 20-year-old teacher, Anne Sullivan from the Perkins Institution for the Blind in Boston, directed by his son-in-law, and that was the beginning of a nearly 50-year-long friendship.
Young Keller had become a rebellious, spoiled, stubborn, and short-tempered child, with no means of contact with the outside world other than touch. With patience and creativity, Sullivan was able to use an alphabet written on her hand to make her understand the idea that everything has a name.
The girl also learnt to touch people’s lips and throats as they spoke, and, finally, to speak.
Helen Keller’s extraordinary training with that extraordinary teacher, was depicted in William Gibson’s play “The Miracle Worker”, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1960 and was later made into a film, which won two Oscars.
Three quotes:
“We differ, blind and seeing, one from another, not in our senses, but in the use we make of them, in the imagination and courage with which we seek wisdom beyond the senses.”
“The best and most beautiful things in this world. cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with. the heart.”
“My darkness has been filled with the light of intelligence, and behold, the outer day-lit world was stumbling and groping in social blindness.”
Helen Keller (nata il 27 giugno 1880 in Alabama) è stata una scrittrice e attivista sociale americana.
Fu colpita da una malattia (forse scarlattina o meningite) quando aveva solo 19 mesi.
Riuscì a riprendersi dalla malattia, ma rimase permanentemente cieca e sorda, come ricordò nella sua autobiografia, “in mezzo al mare in una fitta nebbia“.
Quando aveva 6 anni fu visitata da Alexander Graham Bell, l’inventore, scienziato e ingegnere canadese-americano che brevettò il telefono.
Le mandò un’insegnante di 20 anni, Anne Sullivan della Perkins Institution for the Blind di Boston, diretta da suo genero e quello fu l’inizio di un legame durato quasi 50 anni.
La giovane Keller era diventata una bambina ribelle, viziata, testarda e irascibile, senza alcun mezzo di contatto con il mondo esterno se non il tatto. Con pazienza e creatività, Sullivan riuscì a utilizzare un alfabeto scritto sulla sua mano per farle comprendere l’idea che tutto ha un nome.
La bambina imparò anche a toccare le labbra e la gola delle persone mentre parlavano e, infine, a parlare.
La straordinaria formazione di Keller con quell’insegnante eccezionale è stata rappresentata nell’opera teatrale di William Gibson “The Miracle Worker /Anna dei miracoli” e successivamente nel film che vinse due Oscar.
Tre citazioni:
“Noi tutti, vedenti e non vedenti, ci differenziamo gli uni dagli altri non per i nostri sensi, ma nell’uso che ne facciamo, nell’immaginazione e nel coraggio con cui cerchiamo la conoscenza al di là dei sensi.”
“Le cose migliori e più belle di questo mondo non possono essere viste e nemmeno ascoltate, ma devono essere sentite col cuore.”
“La mia oscurità è stata riempita dalla luce dell’intelligenza, e attenzione, l’altro mondo illuminato dalla luce del giorno sta inciampando e rammaricandosi nella cecità sociale.”
Belle citazioni, grazie, Luisa, ti auguro una buona giornata 💐💛
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Lieta che ti siano piaciute!
Buona giornata a te, Dani 🩷🌺
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Queste citazioni sono davvero belle degne di un animo sensibile e sofferente come il suo. Ricordo il film molto toccante. Grazie Luisa per questa bellissima condivisione 🥀 Buon proseguimento di giornata 😘
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Grazie a te, carissima amica, per il tuo costante apprezzamento
Buon pomeriggio anche a te 😘🙏
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An extraordinary story! Thank you, Luisa, for writing about her here. 🤗🌹🙋♂️
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I’m really glad you enjoyed this story.
Thank you so much 🙏🌺
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Luisa ! I have read Helen Keller’s Autobiography . Deaf and blind , Keller has written somewhere thar some invisible power used to follow her . Her apprehension became quite true when she could be able to understand the world through her studies challenging her crippleness . Thanks !
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Thank you, dear Arbind, for the inspiring and thought provoking comment you shared ✨
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[…] Helen Keller’s Blindness […]
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Thank you so much for reblogging!
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Thanks a lot for reblogging!
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Ammetto che non lo conoscevo affatto la storia
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🙏🌺🙏
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Thank you, dearest Luisa, for the uplifting and inspirational story of Helen Keller, and the video! I knew about Helen and her extraordinary friendship with a young woman whose teaching saved her life but not in so much detail.
Thank you again!
Joanna
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This concise biography was only intended as a brief presentation of quotes from Helen Keller, whose birth anniversary is today.
Thanks a lot for your kind feedback, dear Joanna
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You are more than welcome, Luisa!
Joanna
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🙏❤️🙏
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Helen Keller. Such an inspiration. Thankyou for sharing this Luisa 🙏
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Thank you, Kate, for your kind comment!
Your thoughts are always greatly appreciated! 🌺
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wonderful quotes with much wisdom, Luisa….thank you for sharing 🤍
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Thank you so much for your kind reply and your wonderful presence here! Much appreciated
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pleasure always 🤍🌷
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I am glad you included one of my favourite quotes, Dear Luisa – “The best and most beautiful things in this world. cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with. the heart.” as the feeling towards what we experience in life that is more important than what we actually see or touch. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
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It is I who want to thank you for the beautiful comment and the precious reflection which offers something that warrants serious consideration.🙏❤️🙏
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🥰🥰🥰
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I remember reading the Story of My Life by Helen Keller in school as one of our assigned reading books. She was inspiring for all she had to overcome. Happy Thursday Luisa. Allan
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Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Allan 🙂🌺
I wish a wonderful Thursday to you as well
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Fine post5, Louisa. I never knew that it was Alexander Bell that sent her Anne Sullivan and
son-in-law was the founder of the Perkins School for the blind.
And thank you for including those wonderful quotes.
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I am happy that you liked this post and thank you very much not only for your kind comment, but also for the constant encouragement and support, dear Don 🙏💙
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Ciao Luisa questa è senz’altro una storia vera raccontata e recitata anche in un film dove si vede la bravissima e bellissima attrice che riesce a lavorare sulla psiche della bimba e ad allacciare un rapporto di grande complicità che porta ormai la ragazzina ribelle a capire il suo rapporto tra mondo interiore e un mondo esteriore fatto di tatto , odori e parole con un senso sicuramente come non era stata abituata data la sua inabilità e perciò lei ha bisogno di capire e avere l’ opportunità per spiegarsi e a sua volta farsi capire.Ero piccola quando vidi questo film che non mi pare quello che si vede nel filmato , ero così piccola c’è certo non andavo al nome degli attori,ma mi colpì molto la storia.Grazie per l’ opportunità che mi hai dato di tornare ad un momento della mia infanzia in cui manco io ero capita e nessuno mi spiegava il perché di tante cose…Ho divagato come al solito… Scusami e sereno pomeriggio, un fresco abbraccio… Qui caldo insostenibile… C’è la turnazione dell’ acqua ,la danno ogni 4 giorni e meno male che siamo attrezzati e ci si fa per lavarci e per tutto quanto…La distribuzione idrica avviene per quartieri, ma l’ acqua si perde per la canalizzazione vecchia e fatiscente che ha perdite rilevanti … Ciao carissima Luisa baciotto😚🥰👍🫂💞🌹
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Carissima Desire, grazie di cuore per queste riflessioni di gran valore e per aver condiviso qualche accenno relativo alla tua infanzia.
PS Il problema della mancanza d’acqua e della limitazione nella sua distribuzione è davvero grave e arduo da affrontare… se però si cominciasse a porre rimedio alle perdite idriche dei nostri acquedotti, si farebbe già un bel passo avanti
Ti auguro un buon pomeriggio ❤️💞❤️
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She was an amazing woman. I didn’t know of the Alexander Graham Bell connection though. Maggie
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Many thanks indeed, dear Maggie!! I’m so happy to hear you found this post interesting! ❤️
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Wonderful post!
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Nice to know you found it interesting!
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I grew up with stories of Helen Keller and watching The Miracle Worker but I didn’t remember that Bell sent Ann Sullivan to the Keller family. It’s an inspiring story of what we can accomplish under dire circumstances given some direction. Great post, Luisa.
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Thank you, dear Mary for your kind comment! Your thoughts are greatly appreciated and I can say that I agree with you: her story is an invitation not to let ourselves be defeated even by the most desperate circumstances
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An amazing story!
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Thank you so much, Rosaliene 🩷
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Una delle grandi storie che ricordo fin dalla mia infanzia. Bellissimo e tremendo il film con Anne Bancroft
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Grazie per aver lasciato questo tuo gentile messaggio, cara Marisa
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It is certainly an amazing story. I saw that movie a long time ago.
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I’m glad you liked the story and I thank you for your kind comment 🙏
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Vidi Anna dei Miracoli e ne rimasi molto colpita. Ma non credevo fosse una storia vera! Grazie Luisa per averla raccontata 🤗🤗🤗
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Grazie a te per aver apprezzato questo post!
Buon pomeriggio😘😘😘
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She was a highly intelligent, amazing woman. I remember that movie made quite an impression on me at the time.
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Thank you very much for appreciating this post and sharing your thoughts, dear Ruth 🌺
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Thank you for this share, Luisa. I remember being deeply impacted by Helen Keller’s story and that movie when I was a child. A meaningful memory and inspirational person to revisit. 🌼🙏🏻
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I’m so pleased you enjoyed this post, Michele!
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. 🙂❤️🌺
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Happy to do so and thanks again for your post and for being you! 💖
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🙏💞🙏💞🙏
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A radio delirio l’avranno ripetuta 50 volte questa notizia.
Bellissimo il film
Buona serata
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Davvero???😉😘
Buona giornata a te, Alle
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Helen was an astonishing person. Ann was an amazing teacher.
I did see the movie, and it is terrific.
Thank you, Luisa!
❦❦🌹❦❦
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Thanks a lot for sharing your thoughts, dearest Resa🙂🌺
Much appreciated!
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Welcome! xx
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I didn’t know about Helen Keller, until one night many years ago, when I watched Anne Bancroft playing her in the movie. The following weeks I read up on Helen Keller and her life. Very impressive, mind-blowing, inspirational on so many levels.
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Thanks a lot for sharing that memory and for adding your thoughtful considerations.
Much appreciated
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Passing your final quote forward to my readers with grateful mention 🙏
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My warmest thanks, dear Ana 🙏❤️🙏
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And mine to you ~ for so much.
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She was a miracle herself, an extraordinary woman who showed us how to see, hear, and speak from the inner soul. These are great quotes, and I saw and loved the movie! Thank you, dear Luisa. 💖🙏🌟🤗
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Thank you so much for your valued comment and for your reflections on that great Woman ❤️
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Vidi lo sceneggiato da ragazzino, in bianco e nero, con un’interpretazione sia della Proclemer che della ragazzina (mi viene in mente il nome di Cinzia de Carolis , incredibile spesso non ricordo i nomi dei parenti!!] ed era sconvolgente. Cara Luisa si vive molto dei ricordi, ora!! ciaoooo
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Grazie a te per aver aggiunto questo ricordo.
Come dici tu, oramai per alcuni di noi costituiscono il grosso della nostra vita 😘❤️
Ti auguro una bella serata
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Certo visti i tempi riuscire a comunicare col mondo con le due gravissime menomazioni direi che è stato un miracolo.
La prima citazione mi ha colpito molto perché ha detto una grande verità: i sensi li abbiamo tutti ma non tutti ne fanno un buon uso.
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Grazie, caro Gian, per aver letto e lasciato le tue riflessioni!
Ti auguro un felice sabato 🙏🌷🙏
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Sereno pomeriggio
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Wonderful story of Helen Killer’s Blindness to read 🙏🌷👍🏻 Her intelligence was a great success for her 😍💐
She got so willpower to understand the world from her young age and a successful Great Author ✍️ 👏🌷
Thank you so much for sharing and happy weekend wishes my lovely friend 🌷💕💐🙏🌷
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I loved the 1962 movie. Did you know that Patty Duke who played Helen Keller grew up and played Anne Sullivan in the remake in 1979? Both movies are excellent.
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I didn’t know that, and I found the information really interesting
Thanks a lot, dear Priscilla 🙏❣️🙏
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Tu es une personne formidable et je suis heureux(se) de t’avoir comme ami(e)
J’espère que tout va bien pour toi
Passe une excellente journée, remplie de joie et de bonne humeur
Je t’envoie plein de bonnes ondes positives pour éclairer ta journée
je voulais juste te dire bonjour
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Merci beaucoup pour ce délicieux message.
Je te souhaite également une bonne journée, cher Bernard 🙏🌷💙🌷🙏
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BUON WEEK-END
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Anche a te, caro Giovanni 💙
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🙂
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Splendido omaggio ad una donna gigantesca. Anzi, a 2 donne gigantesche: quella che non si è fatta abbattere dalla sua doppia disabilità e quella che l’ha aiutata a sfruttare le sue enormi potenzialità.
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Grazie a te per questa preziosa riflessione: sono da celebrare tutt’e due
Ti auguro un buon sabato 🌷
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Eccome se le cose migliori devono essere sentite con il cuore!
Dovremmo ricordarlo più spesso, tutti.
GRAZIE Luisa!
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BEAUTIFUL 💖🧡💚
Greetings from 🇪🇸
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