Reunited with the Deaf

It's been 13 years since the day I began my on and off love-affair with the Deaf. My perception and impression of the Deaf has drastically changed over time as I met and truly admired Deaf people from all over the country, or around the world (to at least those places I had the chance to go to.) Now, whenever I meet a Deaf person, I see beyond the "broken" ears, the obscure voices that they make, the flipping and flying of their hands in mid-air, the exaggerated pouts and expressions of their faces. I see a wonderful and unique person who just happens to be Deaf, who uses a more interesting language, a person who has a special way of communicating their thoughts and of how they perceive things in the world we live in. Proudly, I can say now that I am "mind-Deaf". Although my ears can hear sound and music perfectly well, I have the sensitivity and heart for the Deaf. Not that I pretend to be audiologically-challenged, but it is more of immersing into their culture and the language that uniquely belongs to the Deaf community. But then truly being able to say I belong to the Deaf-World is a miniscule of the whole macrocosm on the complexities and hazards of being "Deaf." Not to undermine also, that I am not able to share that feeling, what it is like to be left behind from the deluge of information, to be left out from a conversation, to be teased, to be insulted, to be hurt, to be oppressed. Alas... I can only empathize...but not truly belong.

Last November 19-21, I was fortunate to once again meet Deaf friends from the Philippine Federation of the Deaf and other Deaf organizations from different parts of the country. I was invited to join the seminar in Manila. I was with Angel Laygan, (President) Frederick (B.O.D. member.) as delegates from the Deaf Association of Iloilo. I am currently adviser of the said organization. It was just another overwhelming experience for me, as if I have found again a long-lost love.... my advocacy for the Deaf!