Turn Off Your Ears To Hear The World...
Nikki...
“We all boil at different degrees.”
I can't count the blessings I have been awarded. In fact, thinking about it makes me feel unworthy, so I just remain thankful instead of wondering why I have and others don't. Recently, I have learned to hear better the things I usually miss everyday. And it took someone who couldn't hear to help me.
Everyday I get to stroll into the walls of a box where I am a teacher. Yet everyday I seem to be the one learning. Sometimes the lessons are hard and painful. Sometimes I get pissy and act childish when I'm being educated. Sometimes just training a new athlete makes me sense things I hope we all get to feel. That sense that you stepped forward just a little bit. That feeling that you matured just a little.
"Today, the focus most likely should be...", I say while I'm somewhere in the instruction of a recently performed WOD. The difference is this day's dialogue is accompanied by a whip-lashing hand just over my shoulder. Slightly to my right and behind me is a translator signing my words to the two new athletes in my class. I have trained injured, special needs, kids, professionals, and everything in-between. But today I get to train deaf folks with a translator. In a day or so, I lose the translator and I can't sign (im learning...so far I can cuss a lot). I have learned from all different breeds of people, but these folks who can't hear will teach me how they listen way better than I ever have.
The Little Blonde...
A few years back I was introduced to a young future CrossFitter I still see weekly as she comes in to play, WOD, hang out... whatever. From day one you can't help but love this child as her energy is overwhelming, and her intensity frightening.
She happens to be the daughter of two PCF trainers and incredible like the rest of her family. Like the two athletes above, she also lives with the inability to hear. And I wager that is one of the reasons why she is so much smarter than me, and many other people humming around today. Personally, I think this little quirk God gave her made her so far from average it intimidates others...it does me.
This little blonde is still quite young. The cool thing about kids is they spot bullshit a million miles away. They may not know what, or how to explain it, but they can read everything. We lose this as we age for two reasons: First, adults are assholes, and every time kids ask one of their very intuitive questions adults lie away, eventually making the kids feel stupid or scared to ask. Second, after you're lied to enough you just start believing everyone does it, and start to put up walls. Some kids are just adults without the walls.
But add deafness to a kid, and you get a superhero of sorts with a nose and eyes tuned to bullshit like no other. I love that little blonde to death, but she is scarier than any human I know. She has the ability to see right through every human alive, and I pray to God she keeps that blessing with her always.
You Won't Believe Your Ears...
You see, being able to hear means I will turn my back on you and still act like I'm engaged. Hearing means I take your expressions for granted when I'm feeling lazy. Hearing means I lose a little bit of the "people side" of life because when I want to, I don't have to give you all my senses.
The new deaf athlete additions here (and most likely everywhere) can't be lazy. In fact, their life has been about not taking any action you or I do for granted. They take the time and exercise the patience to read every glimmer of hope. Every drop of sadness. Every moment of madness. They are never "somewhere else" lost in thought...lost in a sea of sound. They are always right there, and if you're not....if you miss a beat, they know.
What if those of us hearing folk put ourselves in the shoes of the deaf for a day? I don't know exactly how we would, but if we could our experience may make us realize just how ignorant we can be in comparison to people forced to pay attention...instead of taking it for granted. The level of intelligence and people skills the deaf possess far outweighs any "average" person I meet everyday. I mean shit, whoever thought it would take someone who can't hear shit to make me hear the shit I have been missing for so long.
Strength:
Power Clean
3,3,3,3,3
Skill
"Snatch"
Post load and impression to comments.
appreciate the important reminder to slow down a bit and really be present. as i think ive said in earlier posts, i dig the developmental opportunity Nikki, Richard and Amelia present me as a trainer each week. translating those lessons into the rest of life to be a better person, however...workin on it.
Posted by: k | June 29, 2011 at 09:02 PM
It's always so interesting and intreguing to hear people's experiences when working with those who are deaf/hard of hearing. Unfortunately I have taken those experiences for granted lately. Everyday of the school year, I am lucky enough to work with students who are deaf/hard of hearing. They've taught me more life lessons than they will ever know - much like the clients you train. Sometimes, I need to stop and reflect to remember those lessons.
You realized you weren't hearing shit until you worked with the deaf. I realized I wasn't hearing shit until I started Crossfit. (My fiance tells me all the time that I don't listen, but I never listened to him - shocking, huh?!) During one of the first few sessions of CF that I attended, one of the trainers told me to do modify my position; I didn't do what he said, but did what I THOUGHT he was going to say like a freaking mind reader. Basically, I made up my mind of what I would do before he even opened his mouth. I was waaaay off and ended up feeling like a complete idiot - I guess that's what you get when you don't listen!
When we are put into situations that make us uncomfortable, or scared, our weaknesses shine - which sucks. However, just like the deaf, I've leared that Crossfitters don't care about your weakness - they just want you to try. And in order to try the right way, we have to listen not only to others, but to ourselves.
People who communicate using sign language don't care if your sign isn't perfectly clear, or that your sign's going in the wrong direction - it's that you are TRYING! The simple fact that you will be teaching without an interpreter proves that you are willing to try - that's what matters to them ... that's what matters to anybody!
Posted by: LS | June 29, 2011 at 10:13 PM
LS, thanks for the valuable addition, and great points..
Posted by: jb | June 29, 2011 at 10:26 PM
Great post jb!! Like Kara, I appreciate the reminder to be in the present, to really make every part of me be in that moment...a place that our hurried society seems to have lost. I never considered just how much those who can not hear have to be present...and what a blessing that is!!
P.S. Thought I would share that tonight in her bedtime prayers, Lauryn thanked God for all of the "wonderful trainers at Practice CrossFit." She notices your work, knows most of you by name, and admires what all of you do, even those of you she has not talked to. Thank you all for being people that my eight year old can look up to!!
Posted by: Mindy | June 29, 2011 at 10:30 PM
Aww... Thank you for thinking highly of us and Little Blonde, JB! We do see the world different then any hearing person sees. We pick up stuff with our eyes and sense your feelings and see right though souls.
We deaf know English but at same time we are living in a foregin language world. We are put in uncomfortable situations just about everyday. That what makes us stronger. LS has a great point too. Show that you are trying rather worry that its perfect or not. We deaf don't sign perfect either.
There is so much to learn in the deaf culture. To be in our shoes would be too much for a lot of hearing to handle. Just think a min.. how do we get up? Answer door? Call for pizza? House on fire? Don't be scared to ask us questions even silly ones! We get them pretty much everyday.. We are proud to be in a group of wonderful CrossFitters! We love everybody! Thanks again JB!
Posted by: nikki | June 29, 2011 at 11:31 PM
125# Power Snatch
Posted by: ASH | June 30, 2011 at 05:19 PM
85# power clean, which was my first PR ever! :)
Posted by: Katie K | June 30, 2011 at 08:13 PM
pc245
Posted by: jb | June 30, 2011 at 08:52 PM
@ home:
pc x3 65#
x1 @ 85#
I'm sure I could have gotten 75# 3 times but I don't have the weights I need at home to make up 75#.
Skill work: snatchs & double unders (I need rhythm ~ ugh!)
Posted by: heatherT | June 30, 2011 at 09:06 PM
115#
Posted by: jen w | June 30, 2011 at 09:28 PM
Failed Power Cleans tonight - 0
38# Snatch
Nowhere to go from here but up...
Posted by: Dana | June 30, 2011 at 09:42 PM
pc X3 135# PR
Posted by: Mo | June 30, 2011 at 10:26 PM
power clean 3x-135#
Posted by: kara MIKOLAJEWSKI | June 30, 2011 at 11:10 PM
pc 3 times - 125# pr
Posted by: Rachael | June 30, 2011 at 11:17 PM
135# power clean x 3
Posted by: HN | July 01, 2011 at 08:16 AM