Louis Braille was three-years-old when he suffered an eye injury in his father’s workshop and by age five he was completely blind. Nevertheless, at an early age Louis recognized the importance of communication as a door to knowledge. He determined to find a way that people without sight could access this knowledge. Working tirelessly, and often without the support or even approval of his teachers and guardians, he invented a code a raised dots. When these were arranged in specific orders, the six dots represented the letters of the alphabet. These letters could then be read by touch.
I am a proponent of braille although I regret to say that I can’t read it myself. I remember that this was the advice of the first ophthalmologist I consulted when my sight changed. He told me that he couldn’t do anything for me, that I shouldn’t come back to see him again, and that I should go home and learn braille.
At the time, I was emotionally distraught and quite resistant to the idea that I wouldn’t ever again be able to see clearly with twenty-twenty vision. Now many years later, I regret that I didn’t follow his blunt and pedantic advice.
Several years ago, I did make an attempt. Along with another fellow in my support group, I decided to try to learn the raised dot system. Ross was pretty good at the task, but I barely managed to decipher the alphabet. I made the excuse that my fingertips just weren’t sensitive enough but I think that in the end, I simply didn’t have the proper determination.
So, January 4 is World Braille Day. Because the braille system is a universal language and can be adapted to most spoken languages, January 4 is celebrated around the world.
I also want to wish all of you a Happy New Year for 2021. With the vaccine on the horizon, surely this coming year will hold more promise than the one we have just farewelled.
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