resilience cafe essay

Resilient persons essay
By: Vanessa Reyes

“All the world is full of suffering. It is also full of overcoming.” As said by Helen Keller. She was a great and amazing human being. Being blind and deaf she never thought of giving up. She and Sydnee Reyes have a lot in common. They never give up and are always optimistic. They are amazing women/ young girls and I look up to them very much.

Helen Keller was born in Tuscumbia, year 1880. With mother Kate and father captain Keller. She was born normal, being able to hear and see, until she came down with a fatal illness. Scarlet fever also known as brain fever, and as she got well her parents and friends noticed she didn’t respond to loud sounds and hand movements. They thought the worst. Doctors and therapists were involved and all the doctors said she was a vegetable and that she was no good. The doctors assumed that her parents would give her up and give her to a specialist. But Kate and the captain wanted more for her. So they took her to one more doctor, the doctor told them about Anne Sullivan. Being partially blind she knew what she was doing. “Children require guidance and sympathy far more than instruction.” Helen gave Anne a hard time, she kicked and screamed, she didn’t know what was going on, she was very confused; but once Anne got her to trust her… they became very good friends. Anne taught Helen to sign many things. As they got older they went on many lectures and book signing. YES. Helen and Anne wrote books. They published them themselves, they became very successful and Anne passed in October 1936 followed by Helen in June of 1968.

Sydnee is my little sister; she is 8 years old born on January 28, 2008. She was born with eczema and asthma. She was a problem child! Every night it was the same. Me and mom prying her fingers from her legs and arms. All during autumn, and when summer started her allergies started up. Flowers, pollen, cats, and dogs. We were tired of seeing Sydnee hurting herself. Digging in her skin and blowing her brains out. We wanted to do something. We took her to doctors and they all told us the same thing; put socks on her hands and aquafer and keep a close eye on her. Well when that didn’t work we had to take measures into our own hands. Made phone calls, sent emails, went to lotion specialists, and we finally got a break through. They doctors wanted us to try this cream. It was a special kind of cream. IT WORKED! Ever since 2004 Sydnee’s skin has gotten better and smoother. We are all very happy. Her asthma has not cleared up. she is the only girl in her class that has to use an inhaler. All the other kids “ohh” and “awe” over her use for it. We are extremely happy for Sydnee and a load was lifted off of our backs.

Helen Keller and Sydnee Reyes are very similar. They are extraordinary people and should be looked up to. Both have over come major problems and have come back better than ever. Although Helen couldn’t see and Sydnee has more of skin condition, they both are very resilient people. They inspire me to live beyond I can do, and be all I can be.