That living word
"In the still, dark world in which I lived there was no strong sentiment of tenderness…
Some one was drawing water and my teacher placed my hand under the spout...
As the cool stream gushed over one hand she spelled into the other the word water, first slowly, then rapidly...
I stood still, my whole attention fixed upon the motions of her fingers..
Suddenly I felt a misty consciousness as of something forgotten
a thrill of returning thought; and somehow the mystery of language was revealed to me.
I knew then that "w-a-t-e-r" meant the wonderful cool something that was flowing over my hand.
That living word awakened my soul, gave it light, hope, joy, set it free!"
from The Story of My Life by Helen Keller
"In the still, dark world in which I lived there was no strong sentiment of tenderness…
Some one was drawing water and my teacher placed my hand under the spout...
As the cool stream gushed over one hand she spelled into the other the word water, first slowly, then rapidly...
I stood still, my whole attention fixed upon the motions of her fingers..
Suddenly I felt a misty consciousness as of something forgotten
a thrill of returning thought; and somehow the mystery of language was revealed to me.
I knew then that "w-a-t-e-r" meant the wonderful cool something that was flowing over my hand.
That living word awakened my soul, gave it light, hope, joy, set it free!"
from The Story of My Life by Helen Keller
