The Gift of Reading and Writing

I am a notetaker.  During church services with pen in hand, I write! Other times I want to get thoughts down on paper so I don’t forget, especially when it’s related to a story I’m writing or an article I’m working on.

When I was in high school I took Gregg Shorthand and loved it!  It’s an amazing way of writing, that unless you know shorthand, you can’t read.  It was designed for those in the business world who would be taking dictation from their boss for their correspondence. 

Shorthand was created using unique lines, curves and circles which make up the alphabet and is a very fast way to take notes.  At the time I could take dictation at 120 words a minute!  The faster you could listen, comprehend and write it, the better your chances of landing a job!  Of course, while I can still read shorthand, being able to write it quickly, has completely changed.  Very often, I have to ‘think’ about how it’s done.  I’ve lost what I consider a very important skill.

Another form of writing which requires knowledge is Braille, used primarily by the blind or visually impaired.  I’m fascinated by watching someone move their fingers across the raised dots, in sequences of six,  on the page and be able to read the words and sentences there.

Like Shorthand, Braille is not a unique language, although it looks like it.  Each uses the American alphabet to create letters.  And there is another similarity.  Shorthand has what is known as ‘brief forms’ and Braille uses the same concept so familiar words can be shortened, speeding up the time needed to read a word or sentence.

January 4 is designated, World Braille Day to honor Louis Braille, the Frenchman who created this system, that opened up a whole new world to the blind and the visually impaired.  Yet, statistics suggest that only one in ten people in our modern world, actually know Braille and are able to use it fluently.  

By having a day set apart for this, it allows a platform and medium, if you will, to get the word out about the importance of learning this reading skill.  But the truth is, Smart Phones and other technological devices, like Smart Readers, which actually reads aloud to the person who is on the laptop, is taking the place of actually ‘reading.’  

Like Shorthand, when Braille is not used, the ability to use it later, is often lost.  There is currently a push to encourage visually impaired students to continue to learn this skill.  While technology is wonderful, it isn’t allowing the person to ‘read’!  

An added element to the rapidly accessible technology, which is reducing the knowledge base of Braille, is the need of school districts to provide a ‘Braille teacher’ for those learning Braille, while in a school setting. Funding is always a problem in nearly any specific area, and when school districts can offer technology as an alternative, they often consider their job done.

Consider how you would feel if you couldn’t read, unless aided by technology.  Is that where you would want to stop?  What happens when technology is down?  Can you see the merit in actually being able to write a letter to a loved one, even if it is in Braille?  

Let’s help celebrate and support this gift of Braille writing, for those who are visually impaired.  Reading and writing is a wonderful way to communicate.  Let’s not lose it!

Happy New Year, Everyone!

#WorldBrailleDay #Braille #ReadingAndWriting

Photo Credit: https://depositphotos.com/vector-images/braille-alphabet.html?qview=89972034