It's funny that this prompt is as it is.....I just posted something about this in my journal last night. I mentioned that, on Friday, we got to watch our first therapy session that involved a HI client, and I was intrigued and literally on the edge of my seat and only looked at the clock once. I have always had a fascination with deafness and how the deaf cope with their situation. Honestly, I think it was the occasion to learn sign language that drew me to this field. I remember that, when I was little, I would always be amazed that people could just flash their hands around quickly, the "listener" would understand, and incredibly the world was theirs again. They were just as capable as you or I. And so one of the "Three Things" I wanted to learn before I left this earth was learning sign language (for the record, the other two were learning to play the guitar and learning CPR.....I've done the first and, oddly, the last one-which should be the easiest- I have put off, maybe to make sure I have a reason to live....just kidding!!).

When I was in high school, and this desire presented itself, I thought about how I could kill two birds with one stone and use this skill I was determined to learn in my workplace. The thought of teaching the deaf came about, but honestly at that point in time, I was interested in making more money than the average pull for a teacher. Mrs. McNealy happens to be a family friend and when I discussed my post high-school options with my mom, she suggested I talk to her about it. Whether she remembers it or not, she encouraged me to join the CD department. When the time rolled around to choose a major, I didn't have any other ideas and so I ended up here.

As I've gone through the classes, I have come to appreciate the complexity of our field, and I think that is one other reason I have stuck by it. I love to be challenged and figure stuff out. Doing "puzzles" is a way of life in the CD department and I really like it. Also, I have just come to love the idea of making the world theirs (those with CDs) again; finding a way to make their lives as natural as possible and taking away the frustration, if only partially or even momentarily, that goes almost hand-in-hand with a communication disorder.