Friday, April 15, 2011

Flying Sweetly

"When life starts to get to me my mom says, 'bumblebees don't know.' This is because aerodynamically bumblebees shouldn't be able to fly; yet they do. This reminds me that even though I was told I couldn't do things, I did. Knowing this, I get up each day and work hard at school and work.  When I do these thing, I am flying." -- from my American University essay
According to aerodynamic principles of physics and flight bees should not be able to take flight.  Clearly, bees can fly and do fly, most likely because no one ever told them they can't fly.

Why do I even know this? Because 13 years ago I was the little bumble bee flying along until someone told me I shouldn't be flying.  And, I stopped flying so freely.  The day I was diagnosed with my Central Auditory Processing Deficit and other various learning issues was the day the professionals told me I was clearly accomplishing things I shouldn't be able to do.  So I stopped, more precisely my spirit stopped.  It took several years of my mom fighting for me and encouraging me until I got off the ground again and began to soar again, and soar I did.
Recently I began to do a bit more research on bees and their flying.  I came across one quote about bees and flying that really spoke to me, "their aerodynamic performance decreases and to compensate, they tend to flap their wings faster."  To m that says it right there.  Children with LDs can fly, and clearly we do fly, but we just have to flap our wings harder.  We are the bumble bees - doing the impossible every day, but what matters is we do it.

Becoming a special educator teacher will be like being a bee keeper.  Making sure my students can fly and can learn, it may be harder than it should be, but the end result is so sweet.  And I am so glad I realized I could fly, regardless of what any specialist and test said.  The last 13 years have been full of trials and sweetness and I am so happy to be flying through graduate school, my arms may be tired but it's been so worth it.

4 thoughts on the matter:

Julie said... {Reply}

I am SO proud of you! I get so angry when I hear ANYONE tell someone else they can't do it. I used to tell my sons (when they said they couldn't do something) "Can't never could.....won't never will". We all can do anything that we set our minds to do, yes some of us have a harder time of it but if we really want it we can achieve!
I'm a beekeeper and this really touched my heart. You are a bumblebee and bumblebees are awesome!!!
Thank you for sharing!
Bee Sweet! ;0)

Serline said... {Reply}

Thanks for the inspirational stories, both about the bumblebee and yourself. Keep flapping!

Rachel said... {Reply}

So amazing.

Being deaf in a hearing school... I felt a lot like that some days. People asked my mom why I did well in school, and she'd tell them that she never lowered her expectations because of my deafness - she simply expected me to try my very best.

The picture is stunning... and I love what you wrote.

Stephanie said... {Reply}

Thank you so much for sharing your story. I stumbled across your blog on Kelly's Korner link up. My daughter has recently been diagnosed with CAPD. She is amazing, but is already starting to lose sight of what she is capable of.