Onkyo Braille Essay Contest 2006 -- International Section (Middle East, Central and Southern Asia) ” Highly Commended "How Braille Has Changed My Life" Mr. Khader Qubtan (Jordan: 62-year-old) |
I may have lived for too long; yes, I may. I may have irrationally blown up my expectations too high; yes, I may. I may have even committed these two mistakes in conjunction; yes, I may. But never, never ever, have I been in any way ungrateful to Louis Braille, never. I have known happy times when my tiny fingertips enriched my fresh grey matter through embossed texts. I have known happy times when my tiny fingertips enriched brains and emotions dictated my stylus, producing childish poems, inspiring composition assignments, and adolescent reflections and meditations. Braille always came to the rescue. How sweet the memories are that linger! These were the days in which I read all types of publications: Standard readers, Magazines, Novels, Anthologies, Science books, Psychology, Philosophy, History books most of them much higher than the possibilities of a ten or twelve -year-old boy. My appetite for knowledge was more and more stimulated, and the flux of information was immense. The Royal National Library for the Blind, the Students' Library and the Hadley School for the Blind were my main sources of general knowledge. How grateful I am for them all! I approached French, Spain, German and Hebrew. For many reasons, including the lack of brailed literature in these languages, I could not go far enough. Then there came the time when Braille could not come to the rescue. For personal reasons, I studied Law at the University of Damascus, Syria. I would have studied Science instead, but that was decisively ruled out. Braille could not come to the rescue. Nor was it able to help me as a Law student, nor, later, as an attorney, a legal adviser, or Director of Planning. In Britain, things were not much better. In the study of eScientiae Economicaf Braille was not ready to help. Recording never proved to be as enjoyable as Braille. Reading is a truly human activity associated with culture. In my mother language, Arabic, getting specialized publications in Braille is a real ordeal. Few of these publications, if at all available, are too dear to obtain. My personal need is too urgent to describe. Besides law books and periodicals, books written in the golden ages of Arab and Islamic culture were beyond my reach. Even daily newspapers and general knowledge magazines were not accessible. Sadly enough, both the Royal National Library, and the Students' Library stopped lending me books. The Hadley School have changed policy and opted for low-saturated correspondence courses. Oh, no! I do not wish to dwell too long on missed opportunities of cultural, artistic and professional achievements. The filled half of my cup is too dear to ignore or belittle. Braille has paved for me the path to where I am. Modest as my achievements are. Back to my sweet reminiscences, tantalization dominates the scene now! Braille gives new hopes and opportunities. Electronic Braille lines with the necessary software can open horizons of undreamt of opportunities -- but not for me, nor for thousands of blind people. The promise is here and now, but not yet, as Zen Koan would put it. Prices block the Nirvana a few impossible steps away. If never made, I would surely delve into the exciting world of knowledge. I would hunt for Breasted, Gibbon, Homer, the ancient Arab and Muslim philosophers and poets, I would try my best to understand more and unconscious of my brother human who is my friend, neighbor and compatriot, I would hunt for the Daily Mirror, the Observer, The Sun, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Le Figaro, France Soir, L'humanite, Le Spiegel. I have a small book in Braille on genetics; I would increase my knowledge in this exciting area. I have some Braille books on music, and I would increase my knowledge of music and musicology. Yes, of course! I would also try to enrich my professional knowledge in social policy, management, and law. Why not try to have a footing in international commerce arbitration, Intellectual property law and informatics law? Why not widen my horizons in my interest in political analysis? Excuse a man who has already lived for a full century minus only thirty-three years. Excuse him if he drifts in free association from the nostalgia of sweet memories into the yearnings of a daydream. So, back to reality! Let me toil in my law firm for another ten years, if I have so many years to live. Perhaps I can one day read Braille again albeit with the help of a laptop and a modem. I may have lived for too long! I may have blown up my expectations too high! I may have committed these two mistakes! Yet, never ever have I been more in need of Braille! My best wishes for the generations to come! |
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