discovered

HowIdiscoveredwords

ThemostimportantdayIrememberinallmylifeistheoneonwhichmyteacher,AnneMansfieldSullivan,

ledwithwonderwhenIconsidertheimmeasurablecontrastbetweenthetwoliveswhichit

hethirdofMarch,1887,threemonthsbeforeIwasvenyearsold.

Ontheafternoonofthateventfulday,Istoodontheporch,dumb,edvaguelyfrommy

mother'ssignsandfromthehurryingtoandfrointhehouthatsomethingunusualwasabouttohappen,soIwent

ernoonsunpenetratedthemassofhoneysucklethatcoveredtheporch,

erslingeredalmostunconsciouslyonthefamiliarleavesandblossomswhich

tknowwhatthefutureheldofmarvelorsurprifor

ndbitternesshadpreyeduponmecontinuallyforweeksandadeeplanguorhadsucceededthis

passionatestruggle.

Haveyoueverbeenatainadenfog,whenitemedasifatangiblewhitedarknessshutyouin,andthe

greatship,tenandanxious,gropedherwaytowardtheshorewithplummetandsounding-line,andyouwaited

withbeatingheartforsomethingtohappen?Iwaslikethatshipbeforemyeducationbegan,onlyIwaswithout

compassorsounding-line,andhadnowayofknowinghowneartheharborwas."Light!Givemelight!"wasthe

wordlesscryofmysoul,andthelightofloveshoneonmeinthatveryhour.

etookit,andIwas

caughtupandheldclointhearmsofherwhohadcometorevealallthingstome,and,morethanallthingl,

toloveme.

tleblindchildrenat

thePerkinsInstitutionhadntitandLauraBridgmanhaddresdit;

Ihadplayedwithitalittlewhile,MissSullivanslowlyspelledintomyhandtheword"d-o-l-l".Iwasatonce

inallysucceededinmakingtheletterscorrectlyIwas

gdownstairstomymotherIheldupmyhandandmadetheletters

tknowthatIwasspellingawordoreventhatwordxisted;Iwassimplymakingmyfingersgo

aysthatfollowedIlearnedtospellinthisuncomprehendingwayagreatmany

words,amongthem,pin,hat,cupandafewverbslikesit,eacherhadbeenwithme

veralweeksbeforeIunderstoodthateverythinghasaname.

Oneday,whileIwasplayingwithmynewdoll,MissSullivanputmybigragdollintomylap,alsospelled

"d-o-l-l"andtriedtomakemeunderstandthat"d-o-l-l"rinthedaywehadhadatussleover

thewords"m-u-g"and"w-a-t-e-r".MissSullivanhadtriedtoimpressituponmethat"m-u-g"ismugandthat

"w-a-t-e-r"iswater,airshehaddroppedthesubjectforthetime,

eimpatientatherrepeatedattemptsand,izingthenewdoll,I

r

till,darkworldinwhichIlived

yteachersweepthefragmentstoonesideofthehearth,andI

ughtmemyhat,andIknewIwas

ought,ifawordlessnsationmaybecalledathought,mademehopand

skipwithpleasure.

Wewalkeddownthepathtothewell-hou,attractedbythefragranceofthehoneysucklewithwhichitwas

oolstreamgushed

overonehandshespelledintotheotherthewordwater,firstslowly,still,mywholeattention

ly,Ifeltamistyconsciousnessasofsomethingforgotten-athrillof

returningthought;henthat"w-a-t-e-r"meant

vingwordawakenedmysoul,gaveitlight,

hope,joy,titfree!Therewerebarriersstill,itistrue,butbarriersthatcouldintimebesweptaway.

hinghadaname,

rsbecauIsaweverything

withthestrange,

eyesfilledwithtears;

forIrealizedwhatIhaddone,andforthefirsttimeIfeltrepentanceandsorrow.

rememberwhattheyallwere;butIdoknowthatmother,

father,sister,teacherwereamongthem-wordsthatweretomaketheworldblossomforme,"likeAaron'srod,

withflowers".ItwouldhavebeendifficulttofindahappierchildthanIwasasIlayinmycribatthecloofthat

eventfuldayandlivedoverthejoysithadbroughtme,andforthefirsttimelongedforanewdaytocome.(1,059

words)

TransformativeTravel

ghIwasjust23,ure

appearedasmucost,without

choices,withouthope.

IwasstuckinajobIhatedandtrappedinanengagementwithawomanIdidn’ime,both

commitmentsemedlikeagoodidea,butIsuppoitwasthefantasyofbeingasuccessful,married

businessmanthatappealedtomefarmorethanthereality.

enedtobeanintroductorycounlingcour,

onethatinvolvedpersonalsharinginthegroupWewerechallengedtomakecommitmentspubliclyaboutthings

wewouldliketochangeinourlives,andinamomentofpureimpulsiveness,Ideclaredthatbythenextclass

meetingIwasgoingtoquitmyjobandendmyengagement.

AfewdayslaterIfoundmylfunemployedandunattached,excitedbythefreedom,yetterrifiedaboutwhat

dsomekindoftransitionfrommyoldlifetoanewone,asortofritual6thatwouldhelpmeto

somethingjustasimpulsiveasmypreviousactions:I

bookedatripforaweekinAruba.

Inspiteofwhatothersmighthavethought,Iwasnotrunningawayfromsomethingbuttosomething7.I

wantedacleanbreak8,andIknewIneededtogetawayfrommyusualenvironmentandinfluencessoastothink

clearlyaboutwhereIwasheaded.

OncettledintomyroomonthelittleislandofAruba,ycould

havebeenanywhereaslongasnobodycouldreachmebyphoneandIhadthepeaceandquiettothinkaboutwhat

themorningsgoingforlongwalksonthebeach,theafternoonssittingundermyfavorite

tree,lymostimportantofall,Iforcedmylftogetoutofmyroom

rilyshy,InowdecidedthatIwassomeonewhowasperfectlycapableofhavinga

obodyknewthe“real”me,thewayIhadalwaysbeen,Ifeltfreetobe

completelydifferent.

Ittookmealmostayeartopayoffthattrip,butIamconvincedthatmysingleweekinArubawasworth

howI

didit:

tedthatbigthingswereonthehorizon,thatatrip

vedwithallmyheartthatIcouldchange,ifonlyIcouldfindaquiet

placetosortthingsoutandexperimentwithnewwaysofthinkingandacting.

Iinsulatedmylffromtheusualinfluencesinmylifeandthepeoplewhoapprovalwasmostimportant.

Oneofthereasonsthattherapyoftentakessolongisthat,onceyouleavethesafetyandsupportofassion11,

ratingmylffromothers’

approvalandinfluences,IwasabletothinkmoreclearlyaboutwhatIreallywanted.

de,isolation,ornewenvironmentsin

themlvesarenotenough;timportant

partofanytherapyisnotwhatyouunderstandorwhatyoutalkabout,twithoutactionis

dofreadingnovelsandcallinghomeregularly,Itookthetimeto

participateindifferentactivitiesthatwouldmakemechange.

edalternativelifestylesandpretendedtobea

erIwouldusuallydoinvarious

circumstances,inforcedtheideathatanythingwaspossible,thatIcould

doanythingIwanted

Imadeeretimes

histrip,Ihadnevertraveledtoa

erIthoughtabouttakingsaferoutes,IimaginedthatIwouldsoonhave

tofacemyclassmatesandthatIwouldhavetoexplainmyactionstothem

inajournaleachdayandspoketopeopleImetabout

eturned,

ofthemofferedadifferentperspectivethatIvaluedandfoundufulinincorporatingtheexperienceintomylife.

ImadechangeswhenIre

easiertomakechan

sureIdidn’tslipbackintooldpatterns,Iimmediatelymadenewdecisionsaboutmyworkandmyrelationships

thatkeptmemovingforward.

Idecidedthatghitis

possibletomakeextraordinaryprogressinasingleweek,transformativechangetakesplaceoveralifetime.I

promidmylfthatIwouldmakeothertripsfromtimetotimeinordertocontinuemygrowth.(987words)

Musicmaysoothethesavagebreast[N]

rearchsuggeststhatloudmusicriouslyaffectsadriver'sconcentrationandpsychologistshavewarned[N]that

suchmusic,blastingaway[N]insideacar,canbedangerous,especiallyintrafficqueuesoronmotorways.

Mucistoyourgears

Therearetwoextremesinmusic,bothofwhichcanresultin[N]risk[N].Heavymetal[N],withitsstrongbeat,

leadstoaggressivedrivingwhile,attheotherendofthespectrum[N],soothing,melodiousmusicrelaxesadriver

beyond[N]asafelimitofawarenessandintoasleepyhazeofinattention.

TheBritishAutomobileAssociation[N],whichisconcernedwithroadsafety,commissionedrearchintothe

dthatmeninthe17—25agebracketwerethemost

foundthatthisgrouplistenstomusicventypercentofthetimeitis

onthemove[N].

Uptempo[N],orheavymetalmusic,playedloudly,vingstyle

eofthedrivingisgovernedbythepaceand

beatofthemusic.

Intrials,volunteerdriverssubjectedto[N]loudmusicsaidthat,althoughtheydidn'tnecessarilyfeelinclined

todrivefaster,theydid[N]findthemlvesmakingfastergearchanges,acceleratingmorequicklyandbraking

edrivers,whensubjectedtoslowballads,admittedthattheyoftenfoundtheirattention

wanderingand,duringalongmotorwayjourney,atleasttwooftheparticipantsfoundthemlvesunconsciously

wanderingacrosslanemarkings[N].

Thecommentsmadebythevolunteerdrivers,someofwhomwerenewlyqualified,[N]wereveryrevealing.

Simon,eighteen,toldtheAA,"Thefastrocktrack[N]outofBatOutOfHell[N]

mylfgoingfasterandfasterwithoutevenrealizingit."

Anothervolunteer,whohadbeenlisteningtoZZTop's[N]greatesthits,said,"Iwasspeedingalongsinging

atthetopofmyvoice[N]anddidn'teorhearthefireenginethatwastryingtoovertakeme."

Othercommentsincluded:"Igetlostinmyownthoughts...","It'spossibletosufferadullingofthens...","Not

hearingothervehiclesisaproblem"and"Iwasrevvingtheengineintimetothebeat."

Slower,moreambienttracks[N]likeChopin[N]stimulateachangeinaperson'sbrainpattern,encouragingalpha

wavesandinducingafeelingofwell-being[N].Astateofrelaxationmightbegoodforusatmostothertimes,but

logistProfessorShirleyFisherwarned:"Thegreatestdangerisfatigueatthe

siccanlullyouintoconcentrationloss,orevenmini-sleep[N],whichcancauhorrific

accidents."

"It'atingmusiccanbeufulonlong,boring

roadsbutwhentrafficconditionsaredifficult,ortrafficisheavy,itcandistractyou."

Thereis,however,anupside[N],asAApsychologistDrRobertWestpointedout:"Ifsomemusicaffectsour

abilitytodrivesafely,llylectedtracksmayimproveourdriving,particularly

tance,ifwecouldgetyoungmaledriverstolistentoMantovani[N],theywould

,Idon'tthinkIcouldpersuademanyofthemtolisten,though."

Aswellasthetypeofthemusicaffectingroadsafety,thevery[N]factthatwehavehigh-techmusicsystems

ttrafficandroadsafetyreportshowedthatalmostfortypercentof

minorroadaccidentswerecaudbypeopletakingtheireyesofftheroadtochangeacastteordisc!

Whateverourtasteinmusic,ordrivingstyle,itlooksasifsafedrivinghabitsareforcedonus[N]inthe

[N],BritishAerospace,Philips[N]andSweden'sRoadandTrafficRearchInstitutehavecombined

toproduceacarintelligencesystemthattheyhavenamedARIADNE(ApplicationofReal-TimeIntelligentAid

forDriving[N]),asophisticatedelectroniccombinednavigation-carphone-collisionavoidancesystem[N]that

takesadvantageofradartowarnthedriverwhenacollisionispossible.

Ifthecarceastobeatasafebrakingdistancefromtheoneinfront,ARIADNEndsavibrationthrough

rationbecomesmoreandmoreveretheclorthe

cargetstothevehicleinfrontuntil,ifthewarningsgounheeded[N],theenginecutsoutandthehazardwarning

lightsgoon.

Soremember,ifmusicbethefoodoflove[N],doitslowly,especiallyifyou'redriving,thenwecanall

"play"on.