Imagine a superpower where you could read, write, and speak every single language in the world. It would be pretty powerful, right? Communication is an incredible and invaluable tool.
Juliet Lyan knows just how amazing communication can be and how, simply reaching out to someone in their language, can change their lives. Juliet shared a heartwarming story about a man she recently met at the restaurant where she works.
Juliet initially noticed that the man wasn’t saying anything and he wasn’t attempting to speak either. He would only point at items on the menu. At first, Juliet thought that the man might not speak English, she comes across that a lot.
Juliet asked the man if he needed help, he didn’t look up or respond. She asked him the same thing in Spanish. Still no response. Then, she noticed that he was signing to himself — he was deaf.
Many of her co-workers, herself included, speak Spanish, but American Sign Language is far less common to know. However, as it turns out, Juliet had taken three years of ASL in high school and could understand and sign quite fluently.
She decided to sign to him, “Excuse me, do you sign?” The man absolutely lit up and looked at her with a giant smile.
The man proceeded to ask her if she was deaf; she explained that she wasn’t and told him that she had studied ASL in school. He was absolutely thrilled that someone in the hearing world was interested in the deaf culture. So many people don’t even give it a second thought.
Before he left the restaurant, the man stopped Juliet and told her how grateful he was that there are people out there that love the deaf world. Juliet was touched and moved by the man’s comment — it was a stark reminder for her.
The interaction with the man reminded her that we are all just human beings living on the same planet. We are all unique and beautiful. There is a large deaf community out there that isn’t being “heard, ” and people are missing out. So often, the deaf community feels overlooked and left out — Juliet wants them to know that they are loved.
Juliet shared her touching story with the world in the video below. And remember, be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting their own battles.
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