I've been attending a church in downtown Indianapolis for almost 3 years now. When I first started going there, my hearing was still on the rapid decline. This church has different groups that meet for various activities about every 6 months, then they do new ones. A great way to meet people, yet I really struggled in the past with the desire to put myself out there and battle through conversations (or lack there of) due to my hearing.
Barrier.
Right around the time I received my first Cochlear Implant, I decided to jump off the deep end and give one of these groups a chance. It happened to be a 4 month group reading 4 different C.S. Lewis books. I still couldn't hear great, and only on one side, but I was hearing something instead of nothing and I suddenly had the confidence to be around people more and more. Unilateral hearing made the group discussions very difficult, and I had to turn my head from side to side A LOT, but it felt good just to be around people, even if I only heard about 50% of the conversation.
Barrier Coming Down.
Shortly after that Spring group ended and the Summer groups were starting, I suddenly had the courage to volunteer to LEAD a group! I decided nothing is much more fun than spending the weekends outdoors, and about 10 of my friends agreed, so we all went hiking at various parks around the state on Saturdays. I was Bi-lateral at this point, and with being outside and the absence of square-room-type reverberation, I began to hear and converse quite well.
Barrier Defeated.
So fast forward to this Spring we took a break from hiking in the Fall, but recently got the
Looks very ripe this time of year
First signs of Spring
After a 3 mile hike through the woods, I was ready to head back home.
But I couldn't.
Because I knew my grandma lived 5 minutes away, and being by myself I really had no excuse not to stop in and say hi.
But that would require a courtesy phone call.
My ears hate(d) phones.
Barrier.
With CIs I don't hear great on the phone, but I'm finally to the point where I'll always give it a shot, and if it's too hard to hear, I'll tell you (but usually, it's not).
Barrier Defeated.
After spending an hour chatting with my grandma over a diet coke, which made her day as much as it did mine, I couldn't help but think about the barriers to conversation that no longer control my life. There's obviously some sound environments that make it easier than others, but I'm becoming more aware of what I'm capable of and subsequently find myself enjoying more life than the barriers would like.
I'm feeling demolistic, so what other barriers around here need knocked down?
