Feeling low, I went for a walk in the countryside. As I was thanking God for the birdsong (which is the only thing that really helps mask my tinnitus these days), I bumped into a couple of family friends I had not seen for some time.
They are a married couple who are both deaf and the wife has tinnitus. She told me she was now completely stone deaf. A recent hearing test showed no response at all. All she can hear now is her tinnitus and nothing else, yet she was very bright and cheery, walking her dog. The realisation that some folk can never hear birdsong or anything except their tinnitus really struck me and made me feel thankful for the hearing that I have.
She lipreads and can speak well. She made me laugh when she said she had to get back to their roast chicken in the oven before it escaped. She is amazing. Such people are really inspirational.
I know it doesn't take away our own personal suffering, but meeting such folk reminds us of those worse off and that we still have things to be thankful for and that such folk can still smile and make others laugh.
I just felt inspired and she brightened my day.
They are a married couple who are both deaf and the wife has tinnitus. She told me she was now completely stone deaf. A recent hearing test showed no response at all. All she can hear now is her tinnitus and nothing else, yet she was very bright and cheery, walking her dog. The realisation that some folk can never hear birdsong or anything except their tinnitus really struck me and made me feel thankful for the hearing that I have.
She lipreads and can speak well. She made me laugh when she said she had to get back to their roast chicken in the oven before it escaped. She is amazing. Such people are really inspirational.
I know it doesn't take away our own personal suffering, but meeting such folk reminds us of those worse off and that we still have things to be thankful for and that such folk can still smile and make others laugh.
I just felt inspired and she brightened my day.