Relentlessness – never giving up in the quest for high value, or that is my definition, is applied to military and athletic victories, even to nature’s power, but seldom to love, and less to love of life. Still, we have examples. They humble us.
Helen Keller is iconic, chiefly for her achievements, her capacity to overcome extraordinary handicaps, or let us not use that word, just absence of advantages most of us have, sight and hearing. She lost them at 19 months, to a virus.
Born in 1880, she had as much chance of attending Harvard, writing 14 books, becoming a great communicator, and teaching relentless love – directly or indirectly – as a parakeet has of barking.
Even today, ask yourself: How many would say, “Come, let us learn to read, write, see the unseeable, think deeply, teach that anything can be done!” No, I think not, few families have that faith.
So, here is a little girl, dearly loved, suddenly stripped of gifts most take for granted, seeing – flowers, sunsets, falling snow, her mother’s smile, falling tears and leaves, bird on the wing, lightning – and hearing – music, wind in the leaves, a dog’s bark, cat’s meow, thunder. Sad? Yes, but for Keller, a source of strength.
Those near her saw something, heard something, the unseeing child’s soul, and did not let the echo die. One was Anne Sullivan, who met little Helen at seven.
Anne herself was blind, but never gave up trying. Relentlessly, she fought to regain her sight, and Anne – after countless operations – did, then turned to help others.
Graduating from Perkins School for the Blind, she said: “Duty bids us go forth into active life. Let us go cheerfully, hopefully, and earnestly, and set ourselves to find our especial part. When we have found it, willingly and faithfully perform it; for every obstacle we overcome, every success we achieve tends to bring man closer to God and make life more as He would have it.”
By some fluke – or was it? – she found little Helen. At seven, Helen was frustrated and could not understand words written in her hand. Given a mug, she broke it.
Then came the first miracle: Anne took Helen’s hand in hers, gently poured water into it, then spelled w-a-t-e-r. Helen got it. There began the journey – and 50 years of friendship with Anne.
How did this blind and deaf girl choose to overcome impossible odds, growing into a paragon of can-do, a source of strength for millions, never giving up?
Years on, Helen would write about not giving up, finding support from those who believed in her, and relentless love. Notably, Helen Keller – originally from Alabama – moved to Brunswick, Maine, in 1909, lived there for a time before relocating.
Perhaps thinking of Anne, she wrote: “When we do the best we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another.” That was Helen’s life, and also Anne’s, and how Mainers in her era often lived.
The perennial optimist, working hard to overcome frustrations, Helen wrote: “No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit.” True, and yet we forget.
Christian, she searched for light, wrote: “Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light.” Always learning, she wrote: “Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.”
Famously, she penned this line: “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart.” Late in life, looking back, she wrote: “Life is either a great adventure, or it is nothing.”
Helen Keller may be forgiven for wandering into politics, as she felt a need to do what she could for others, and spoke to that inner impulse. Somewhere deep inside, she wanted others to persevere, to know her heart, to believe they could.
“I seldom think about my limitations, and they never make me sad. Perhaps there is just a touch of yearning at times, but it is vague, like a breeze among flowers.” Mostly, she wanted others to experience what she had, an opportunity.
Today, she would be the optimist she was, one who got forward by perseverance, not government. She was a perpetual doer, no excuses. She reminded us: “Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.”
Dying in 1968, Helen Keller was never about government or handouts; she was about doing what she could do – having been blessed with relentless love. She worked ceaselessly to pass that gift on. And she did, to you and me today.
Robert Charles is a former Assistant Secretary of State under Colin Powell, former Reagan and Bush 41 White House staffer, Maine attorney, ten-year naval intelligence officer (USNR), and 25-year businessman. He wrote “Narcotics and Terrorism” (2003), “Eagles and Evergreens” (North Country Press, 2018), and “Cherish America: Stories of Courage, Character, and Kindness” (Tower Publishing, 2024). He is National Spokesman for AMAC. Today, he is running to be Maine’s next Governor. BobbyforMaine.com
RBC, thanks for another great article. As I started reading. I thought about Anne Sullivan who had helped Helen but as read further I saw that you included Anne into your article. Anne was very important in helping the blind and others.
I admire strong women and Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan were very strong!
The achievements of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan,this is a story that should be remembered by more people more often. It is a story that describes the meaning of fortitude.The thoughts that accompany understanding what all was achieved do good in themselves as those thoughts are part of understanding the human spirit. This article brings forth positive , uplifting ideas how powerful the forces of good can be and the spirit that guides us . Faith in God , , the idea of being relentless , the love of life all combine in this story and it is a great example of how mind ,body and spirit combine .in healing. I do believe the idea of victory can be applied as well when thinking of the achievements of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan.
Beautiful story, what a contrast , today there are unimaginable opportunities that turn out illiterate children, who don’t read nor write cursive, can’t do simple math without a device. Crime.
Did you know that Ann was dropped off, by her father, to a mental institution. She lived there for five years, being blind. But she was precocious and made up her mind to not allow that to stop her from getting what she needed. She found out an inspector was coming to that horrible place. Right then she decided she was going to make herself known to him no matter what it took. And she did just that. She kept asking him to send her to the school for the blind because she wanted to learn. He said yes.
So she was sent there. For awhile, she was uncouth demanding and insistent. But, over time, she learned how to interact with others.
She did so well, she was picked as Valedictorian and this is where this account gets really interesting.
Word came to the institute that a caregiver was needed for a deaf and blind girl. She was chosen because of her accreditation. This is how she met and saved Helen Keller.
TO BOBBY: HELEN’S PARENTS WERE INTRODUCED TO ANNE SULLIVAN BY NONE OTHER THAN ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL WHOSE WIFE & MOTHER WERE ALSO DEAF! HE THOUGHT HELPING HER WAS ONE OF HIS GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS!
PLEASE READ, “DEAR MR. BELL… YOUR FRIEND HELEN KELLER” BY JUDITH ST. GEORGE PUBLISHED BY SCHOLASTIC, INC. 1992.
So many beautiful people in the world and so many bad ones.
What a great article and what an incredible person Helen Keller was. I look forward to meeting her in Heaven.