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I’m hard of hearing.  In the Deaf world, it you see (HOH).  I was born with hearing loss in one ear and as I’ve gotten older my hearing as well as gotten worse.  I’ve gone through different periods about how I felt about this.  

In school I was punished for not following directions or paying attention.  I stood in the corner a lot and didn’t know why. I got my first hearing aid in seventh grade so I would have been twelve or so.  It was a ginormous thing and there was no doubt I was wearing it.

That made me a target.  It is sad to think people bully other people for disabilities, but it happens.  I wore that hearing aid until I began working. I was I guess sixteen or seventeen when I took it off and never put it back on.

It was a problem at work.  It was hot and then I had to try to hide it.  I was customer facing so they could see it.  I had adults make fun of me.  Yes it happened.  No, I’m not lying.  I just stood there and took it.  I was different then. Now, I’d have gotten fired because I would have told them what they could do with their jokes.

I was ashamed.  I was different and didn’t want anyone to know.  It makes me sad to think about it.  All the teasing and laughing hurt.  I couldn’t help that I couldn’t hear.  I’m just like everyone else. I cry as I write this because I hurt for the child inside.  I hurt for all of the Deaf/HoH people in the world that have gone through the same thing.

The Bible verse of the Day from https://www.biblegateway.com/ is John 15:10 (MSG)

“I’ve loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you’ll remain intimately at home in my love. That’s what I’ve done—kept my Father’s commands and made myself at home in his love.”

God loves me just the way I am. 

Psalm 139:13-16 “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

He knew I’d be HoH.  Now my feelings about it have changed.  It is what it is.  I have two hearing aids now. They aren’t as bulky and don’t show.  If you want to bully me and make fun of me, go ahead but be prepared. I won’t hide or stand there and take it. I view being HoH as a special thing.  It gives me empathy for others.  It has allowed me to see a world hearing people can’t see.  It has grown my faith, pushed me to places I’d never go and helped me to shine.

My HoH is a gift.  It is a gift from my maker and I thank him for it. I may not be able to hear, but I hear the voice of God’s love.