Silence is Golden

Alrighty, it's about time I get back on topic regarding my blog. Or at least post something that has to do with the title! So here we go!

As I mentioned before, I have a pretty bad hearing loss. They call it "moderately severe". I basically just have a 65-70% hearing loss. Why they choose to use terms like "moderately severe" or "severe", I don't know. That's about as informative as going "Whoa! You are SO deaf"... and to that I say (with heavy sarcasm) "Nooo, really?" :P
But this post isn't to complain about Audiologist's methods because, despite little drawbacks, they really are super helpful!

Anyway, so I've realized that I tend to focus on the negative aspects of being deaf. Which is actually pretty common for anyone who develops a disability or handicap. But today, I'm gonna talk about the AWESOME parts about being deaf!

1. I fall asleep easily. When you can't hear anything, it's super easy to fall asleep. You can't hear people snoring, babies crying, or construction. :P  When I was in my first apartment  at college, my roommates would complain about construction waking them up in the mornings. Whereas I just got to laugh at them, because I sleep like a rock!

2. I get to learn about - and even be a part of - the deaf community and deaf culture if I want. Deaf people have their own history, their own communities, their own schools, and even their own language! The cool part about this is that I can become a part of this community if I want to, because I have a hearing loss. So I could fit right in, if I ever felt the desire to do so!

3. I don't have to worry about damaging my hearing! You know how people always warn you not to turn up your music too loud, or you'll go deaf? Well, that is true. So be careful! But you see, I'm already hard of hearing. (I was born with perfect hearing, but I'm slowly losing it. Kind of like how old people lose their hearing, except I starting losing it when I was 9!) Anyway, I'm going deaf no matter what... So I can turn up my music as loud as I want! Mwahahahaha!

4. You can pretend you don't hear things. Now, I don't normally make a habit of this, but it can be fun! One of my brothers would often act like he didn't hear our mom tell him to do his chores and would get out of doing them because of this! Another fun part of this is annoying people. People will say stuff to me and I'll just be like "what?". Then they repeat it and I respond in the same way. Then I switch to "huh?" and then - getting louder - "I can't hear you. I'm deaf!" Then even louder, "YOU NEED TO SPEAK UP!" By then, it's pretty obvious that I'm joking with them, but it's so much fun to see them get all flustered as they repeat themselves over and over! ;)

5. You can easily get "peace & quiet". Most people have to go find a quiet place to read or study. But me? I can get it anywhere. All I gotta do is take off my hearing aids! Simple. Problem solved. I can just turn off everything if I so please! So, now I feel obligated to say sorry to everyone with perfect hearing, who have to find a "quiet place" or who have to wear earplugs. The only current downside of this is that it's not completely quiet when I turn off my hearing aids. But it will be eventually! lol

Some people just see the negative sides of being deaf - having to wear hearing aids or get surgery, learning a new language, having a hard time enjoying music, etc etc. And it's true. Having a hearing loss isn't always a walk in the park! But, like anything else, it's only as good as you make it.

And I've made silence golden.

Bedtime O_o

In the darkness of the night
I laid in bed, my soul afright
But I dared not make a sound
For I feared I would be found

So I came up with a plan
I jumped up and ran!
I shot out of bed
And ended up dead!

I should not have moved
Yes, the stories are all true
It all isn't just a dream
I now know, for it happened to me

A creature grabbed my foot
I am long gone, you see
No one knew where to look
Nor would they ever believe

I give you this warning: Beware
You have good reason to be scared

This advice I give to you
Whatever it is that you do

Stay out of darkness
Turn on the light
For you are helpless in the night

So please hear my words
And take heed, kind sir
Or to you this may occur

Simply remember all you have read
And believe your kid when he says
             "There's a monster under my bed"

Hope you all liked it! :)  This is one my favorites, out of all the poems I've written.