June 27, 2009 8:04 AM
Happy Birthday, Helen Keller!
Helen Keller was born June 27, 1880.
In her honor, rerunning this piece:
Since we're on the subject of teaching children about disabilities, here's a great way to start - The Miracle Worker">The Miracle Worker:
This is the final scene from the brilliant movie of Helen Keller's early life. Helen Keller's wealthy family had hired Annie Sullivan to help their daughter - blind, deaf and mute from infancy, and spoiled because no one knew what to do with her.
If you haven't seen it since you were a kid, you'll get so much out of now watching it with your own children. And if you have never seen it, you've missed two of the greatest female movie performances ever: Patty Duke as Helen Keller and Anne Bancroft as Annie Sullivan, the young woman determined to reach beyond Helen's deafness and blindness to touch Helen's soul, which was not handicapped at all.
Skip any remakes of The Miracle Worker . Nothing could ever transcend this astonishing 1962 classic.
The Miracle Worker speaks loud and clear of how important we ourselves sometimes can be in carrying out the miracles God intends for others.
Like everything else, available at Netflix.
Posted in Disabilities, Inspiration, Movies | Permalink
Comments
Everyone remembers the scene you posted. It makes me teary watching it again. But you know what has struck a chord with me recently?
The dinner scene where Annie insists Helen eats with utensils.
I have to admit we've let the utensil thing slide. It's just easier for Kayla to eat with her hands. And less mess, too.
But then I think back to that scene and know that we need to work on it. I can't let her disability be an excuse not to.
Posted by: Ecki | June 28, 2009 11:35 AM
We were just talking with our kids the other day about Helen Keller and discussing the obstacles she had to overcome. It reminds me of Nick Vujicic, a man born without limbs who has the most amazing testimony and spirit. Despite his disability, he has poured his life out for others. Truly inspirational!! If you have never seen his story...you can watch it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DxlJWJ_WfA
Posted by: Tara | June 29, 2009 10:48 PM
