There is someone whom I am eagerly wanted to meet. She is just not another famous woman, but she is a well-known woman with a speech disability. In my life, I have seen and personally experienced the sufferings and agony of several young women and men who faced a lot of difficulties of being unable to articulate their thoughts, ideas, and feelings fluently and fearlessly. I am not ashamed to say that I am one of them who were very afraid to speak up in front of a big audience.

However, when I was grade eleven, I learnt about Clara Barton who was the founder of the American Red Cross Organization. I am still able to remember the way my social studies teacher explained about her and her hard work. Though she was a stammerer, she did not let her speech disability to weaken her life. She was a bright student in her class and later on, became a teacher who taught nearly for six hundred students. Further, though sometimes, she was mistreated by the public, she was brave enough to forget them and to lead her life in a proper manner to accomplish her ultimate goal of serving her society.

Barton’s life narrative always inspired me to smile with failures. Even though from an early age, I suffered a lot of not having the capability to speak without keeping pauses, the courage of Barton asked me to open my eyes to observe the reality which is that I can never cure my speech disability. However, in reality, it was really hard for me to even accept my speech disorder. I am surprised with the way she chose to challenge her challenges. Is it feasible for a person with a speech disorder to become famous or to be the center of a global topic?

I was always curious to talk with a famous woman with a speech disorder to question them regarding their success through a tough life. Barton did not pay so much attention to her disability because for her, it was not challenging to cope up with other general people as she was educated and talented. When I was schooling, I hated it when my friends made fun of me and imitated the way I spoke. However, I noticed that Barton only focused on her ability which improved her personal identity rather than her inabilities which were problems to the public, but not at all to her. From my experiences, I know that how hard it is to face reality. However, Barton was not vexed, disappointed, or sad of being unable to talk with others or to conduct a discussion confidently whereas I was helpless and hopeless of being a stammerer who could not even say the name without stammering. I am truly curious to know that how did she obtain that much courage to act as an extraordinary woman to challenge her disability to become her courage?

She always persuaded other people to serve the people who are in need of. Moreover, her invigorating words convinced me to be grateful to God for giving me an especial cross to realize how hard the life is. I never thought that I would have the ability to speak up for the people with speech disorders, but after attending the communication workshop which was organized by the Indian Stammering Association, I learnt how to control my stammering while being able to express myself in a better way through practicing the techniques of prolongation, pausing, and bouncing. When I was in the communication workshop, once again, I learnt about Clara.

Thereafter, she became the role model in my life. I strongly believe that her powerful character can assist me to appreciate myself. Furthermore, since she was also a stammerer just like me, I feel that I am capable of being a famous person in this world. I revere her character as she never let her difficulties to make her feeble in front of others. Meeting her once in my life is a dream for me. Though it is a dream, I am still able to meet her and hear her voice through the people who stammer or have another type of a speech disorder.

My favorite quote, which always reminds me of focusing the ultimate goals rather than worrying about my failures, of Barton is "You must never so much as think whether you like it or not, whether it is bearable or not; you must never think of anything except the need, and how to meet it." (Shlman)

Work Cited

Sahlman, Rachel. "Clara Barton." incwell.com. Spectrum: Home and School Network, 2010. Web. 11 Nov 2010. .

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Ed: This is an essay from Nilukshi Coray.