Principles – “Sign Language” – Saturday, 26th of August, 2017

   “Life” and “Principles”: Two words which are interrelated in a wonderful harmony, as if each is a tree that receives green leaves and ripe fruit from her companion! If life with no work, as it is seen by the Lebanese writer and thinker “Gibran Khalil Gibran”, is similar to death; life without principles will only be a grueling journey in its paths that lost its beautiful meanings; and one of these important principles that supports and encourages humans is: “Do not stop, keep trying.” Hence I remember the question posed by the Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh: “How will life be like if we do not have the courage to try?”

   She stood on stage after taking off her shoes, in the most difficult test she had ever had in her life. Tonight her attempts would be judged by success or failure. She tried to be cool and faced the four judges in the contest she had decided to compete in; one of them asked her about her name. “Mandy Harvey”, she answered. Then he pointed at another young lady and asked her who she was. He learned that she was her own interpreter. I was taken by surprise wondering why Mandy would need a special interpreter while she already speaks English, the same language spoken by the judges?! The program is one of the most popular programs that offers the talented people a chance to present their talents.

   My wonder didn’t linger as the judge said, “Welcome, Mandy. I think you are deaf”. Hence, I discovered the reason beyond why the interpreter existed as she was a sign-language interpreter who interprets what others are saying to Mandy so that she can answer.”Yes”, Mandy answered the arbitrator, “I lost my hearing when I was 18”.Then the conversation went on to reveal that Mandy was born as a healthy baby with no impairments, practiced singing since she was four. Then she had a connective tissue disorder. Her condition deteriorated until she lost hearing capacity at 18; she remained deaf for more than ten years now, she is 29 years old. Mandy added that when she became deaf she decided to leave music, perhaps in an attempt to adapt to the new conditions of her life, but she resumed saying: “Now I returned to singing, using visual tuners and trusting my pitch “Hence, the judge asked her about the secret beyond her getting off her shoes, and whether it was to feel the vibrations of the rhythm. Mandy responds positively, explaining that she follows the tempo through the floor…to be continued

General Bishop

Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center