From Helen Keller to Jordan

On my train ride to teaching the parental support part of pediatric course number 8, a grandma sat across from me. She had smiling eyes.

She kept staring at me as I was going over my powerpoints, so we began conversing. She asked me what I did. Hmmm just happened to have the newspaper article in my purse; I whipped it out, smiled and handed it to her proudly. She nodded as she read the article and said, "Ohhh, you have a deaf son." I said yes. She looked me straight in the eyes and said, "Oh my, I just saw that amazing film on tv a week ago, you know, the one, what's it called?"

I had no idea.

She snapped her fingers and said, "Anne the Miracle Worker! So, your son signs, it was such a beautiful film."

Helen Keller.

I loved reading about Helen Keller as a 10 year old child. Her story fascinated and touched me.

I said, "No, my son doesn't sign."

She replied, "Oh, I see."

I turned my computer towards her and pressed play on the video of Jordan thanking the pediatricians. Her eyes filled with tears.

I advocate to educate. No better place than the trains of Italy.