I’ve always loved this image of American author, Helen Keller and film icon, Charlie Chaplin – taken when the two met for the very first time.
And, how wonderful that this moment was so lovingly preserved.
Born to a family of rather modest means—from an early age, Keller seemed destined for far greater things. A precocious child, she learned to speak at just 6 months of age. And, among her first words? That irrepressible question, ‘why.’
Those around her, marveled at this seemingly endless source of curiosity and wonder. Until sadly, when – at just two years of age – she succumbed to a devastating illness; an illness which would soon strike her blind, deaf and mute.
I’ve often wondered what it might be like to live without the ‘crutch’ of our senses. Would our ‘sight’ become more keen in a world where the ‘colors’ were stripped away?
Look at how intensely he’s ‘listening in’ – leaning forward into the full depths of their shared experience.
How wonderful it might be to experience our world in much the same way – with a profound gratitude for those often overlooked and much subtler details. To ‘see’ in such a way that causes our world to come alive. And, with each new breath, a reminder of life’s living glory.
In spite of her adversity – or rather, perhaps as a result of her adversity – Keller became one of the 20th century’s leading humanitarians, as well as, co-founder of the American Civil Liberties Union.
And so, on this day, my hope is that we may all take a moment to appreciate her lesson of ‘leaning in.’
