An Entire Town Surprises a Deaf Neighbor by Learning His Language

sign language

It is so often the smallest gestures, the simplest form of sincerity and the smiles from strangers that make the heart happiest. But even more so than that is the feeling you get when you do something wonderful, no matter how big or small, for someone else. The feeling you get when you see the happiness and appreciation on the face of another knowing that it’s because of you that their smile is in place isn’t anything that can be put into words. It’s something that can only be felt – and it’s something that can make even the hardest heart soften. It’s a feeling that reminds us we often take our lives for granted. We take for granted our ability to pick up and go when we please, to provide experiences and material items to our families, and to enjoy life. We take for granted every single day our ability to smell the salt in the ocean breeze and to feel the sun shining on our faces. We take for granted the fact that we can see the smiles we give to others, and we take for granted the fact that we can hear the sound of our children’s voices as they tell us they love us; for these are not abilities with which everyone is blessed.

Muaharrem is a man without the ability to hear. He spends most of his days attempting to communicate with those around him despite the fact he cannot hear, and it’s not always a simple task. Samsung, technology giant, did something remarkable for this man, and they captured it – unbeknownst to him – all on film one day. As Muaharrem and his sister head out to enjoy a day, every single person they encounter carries on a conversation with Muaharrem – in sign language. The company put together days and hours of classes teaching his entire community to sign so that he no longer has to feel disconnected from the world that surrounds him every day, and his reaction to this is priceless.

While the point of this story is that Samsung is doing business as usual, the moral of the story is that it doesn’t take much at all to reach out and embrace those around you. It’s not just learning to sign to embrace a neighbor. It’s smiling at someone who needs it. It’s holding doors for a woman pushing her babies out of a store. It’s saying thank you and you’re welcome and making the effort to just be kinder. The world is so full of distraction and ‘busy’ that most of us haven’t the time to notice others struggling, and we have no idea what our simple smiles, polite acknowledgments and gestures can do for their hearts. Embrace the world around you, and make others feel welcome.

Photo by Ben Stansall – WPA Pool/Getty Images

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